Traditional Ingredients:

3 slices (almost shaved) of boiled ham
3 slices of turkey (optional)
3 slices roast pork hot or cold
3 slices of salami
3 slices of Swiss cheese
3 or 4 slices of pickles
1/3 cut Cuban bread hard crust

Optional Ingredients:

3 slices of tomato
4 slices of green bell pepper
3 slices onion
1/3 cut French or Cuban bread
1 leaf Romaine lettuce
mayonnaise, mustard to taste

It is important that the sandwich be prepared on Cuban bread, French or Italian bread - any artisan style bread with a hard crust.

All cold cuts should be sliced very thinly; almost shaved. Slice the bread in an open faced fashion and spread lightly with mustard first, then with mayonnaise. Remember this is not entirely traditional, but still good.

Add the ham (roast pork), turkey and salami. Next add a layer of tomato, pepper, onion and lettuce. Top the sandwich and press.

Press the sandwich on a hot skillet with a weight on top. A suitable weight would be a heavy (clean) cast iron skillet that has been heated until sizzling.

Or better yet, use a sandwich press or panini grill if one is available.

Cuban Sandwiches and their variations are sold in almost every Deli or Restaurant in Tampa, Florida.

Cuban sandwiches are good cold and for picnics or take-alongs, too.

Submitted by: CM