Crock Pot Italian Hoagies

Submitted by gailanng

"A wonderful recipe from The Big Red Kitchen. A large 6 quart oval crock pot is required, but may, also, be baked in a low oven until the cheese is melted and sandwich is heated through. Good for shopping days, Mardi Gras, etc."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 20mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 oval loaf artisan bread, make sure it fits into your crock pot
• 18 slices provolone cheese
• 18 slices virginia ham
• 18 slices sweet capicola or 18 slices hot capicola
• 18 slices genoa salami
• sweet pepper rings, drained well to prevent sogginess (pickled banana peppers)
• red onion, thin slices
• oregano
• basil
• olive oil

directions

1. Slice bread 13 times, almost all the way through but leaving 1/2 inch space at the bottom.
2. On a flat surface, layer three slices of cheese and top with 3 slices each of ham, Capicola and Salami. Top with pepper rings and onions. Sprinkle with oregano and basil and repeat 5 times.
3. Fold each bundle in half and tuck (folded side towards the bottom) down between every other slice of bread to create 6 sandwiches. The sandwich may have "arched" its back, gently push down and wrap tightly in one large piece of foil then a second piece of heavy foil.
4. Place in crock pot on top of a small aluminum foil pan or balls of foil so it does not touch bottom of insert. Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours.
5. Remove foil-wrapped sandwich from crock pot. To serve, cut each sandwich apart, drizzle the insides lightly with olive oil. Makes six sandwiches with the center two being quite generous in size.
6. Note: Depending on the size of your loaf, you may not need all the meat and cheese as the sandwiches on the ends are a bit smaller and will not hold as much.