A creative grinder sandwich that swaps traditional bread for two crispy, fried provolone cheese patties stacked with zesty Italian cold cuts, pepperoncini, and a vinegar-dressed salad for hot, cheesy, and cool textures in one bite.
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Create two stacks of provolone cheese, each with 10 slices. Press each stack down firmly.
Freeze the cheese stacks until firm.
While the cheese freezes, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the thinly sliced salami, calabrese, red onion, pepperoncini, and shredded iceberg lettuce.
Drizzle the salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with dried oregano and red pepper flakes, then toss to combine.
Set up a breading station with three shallow dishes: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs.
Remove the frozen cheese stacks from the freezer. Dredge each stack first in flour, then dip in the egg wash, and finally coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs.
Place the breaded cheese stacks on a tray and freeze again until completely solid.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or pot for frying. Once hot, fry the frozen cheese patties quickly until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
To assemble the sandwich, place one fried cheese patty on a plate. Pile the grinder salad filling on top.
Drizzle the filling with balsamic glaze.
Top with the second fried cheese patty. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Best served immediately. Leftover fried provolone patties can be refrigerated up to 2 days and reheated in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
Yes. Freezing the breaded cheese stacks until completely solid ensures they stay melted and cohesive inside while the outside fries golden and crispy.
You can prepare and freeze the breaded cheese stacks in advance, but fry them fresh just before serving for the best texture and crispness.
The recipe does not specify an exact oil temperature; heat the vegetable oil until hot, then fry the frozen cheese patties quickly until golden brown on both sides.
Yes. Use any Italian cured meats or deli meats you prefer in place of salami and calabrese; the total weight should remain around 8 oz.
No, as written it contains all-purpose flour and panko breadcrumbs; use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko to make it gluten-free.
