The Ortigia market sandwich

Cook it at home: The Ortigia market sandwich, a home version

Borderi does not publish a recipe, and every sandwich there is built from whatever is best that morning. This is a home version of what reporters and visitors describe: fresh mozzarella, baked ricotta (tricotta), grilled vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and sliced meat, in good bread. Each part is made on its own, so you can buy any of them instead. Make the bread a day ahead.

Pans and tools

• Large mixing bowl
• Baking tray and small baking dish
• Griddle pan or grill
• Sieve
• Sharp serrated knife

You’ll need

• For the bread: 500 g (4 cups) bread flour
• 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) water
• 10 g (2 tsp) fine salt
• 3 g (1 tsp) instant yeast
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil, plus more for the pan
• For the baked ricotta: 500 g (2 cups) sheep's milk ricotta, or whole milk ricotta
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• For the vegetables: 2 aubergines (about 600 g), 3 courgettes, 2 red peppers
• 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove (grated), 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt
• To build: 400 g (14 oz) fresh cow's milk mozzarella
• 200 g (7 oz) thinly sliced smoked or cooked ham, or prosciutto
• 80 g (1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 60 g (1/3 cup) green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil, 1 lemon, flaky salt

Steps

1. The day before, stir the flour, water, salt and yeast in a large bowl until no dry flour is left. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
2. Add the olive oil. Do three sets of stretch and fold, 30 minutes apart: lift one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over, turn the bowl, repeat four times. The dough should go from shaggy to smooth and springy.
3. Cover the bowl and chill it overnight, 12 to 16 hours. It should double in size and be full of bubbles.
4. Next morning, drain the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl for 2 hours in the fridge. Heat the oven to 200C (400F). Stir in the salt, pack the ricotta into a small oiled dish and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is deep gold and the cheese feels firm. Cool completely, then slice. This is a home stand-in for tricotta, which is baked more than once.
5. While the oven is hot, salt the sliced aubergine and courgette (8 mm, 1/3 in) and leave 20 minutes. Pat dry. Blacken the whole peppers under a very hot grill or over a flame, about 12 minutes, turning, then cover in a bowl for 10 minutes and peel off the skin.
6. Grill the aubergine and courgette slices on a very hot griddle, 2 to 3 minutes a side, until striped and tender. Tear the peppers into strips. Toss everything with the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, oregano and salt. Rest 30 minutes.
7. Take the bread dough out and divide it into 4 pieces of about 225 g (8 oz). Shape each into an oval roll, set on an oiled tray, cover and prove 60 minutes at room temperature, until puffy.
8. Heat the oven to 230C (450F) with a tray of boiling water on the bottom shelf. Bake the rolls 18 to 20 minutes, until deep gold and hollow when tapped on the base. Cool 20 minutes.
9. Drain the mozzarella on a towel for 20 minutes, slice it 1 cm (1/2 in) thick, and season with flaky salt, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
10. Split each roll, leaving a hinge. Layer in this order: mozzarella, ham, vegetables, a few slices of baked ricotta, tomatoes and olives. Finish with olive oil. Press firmly and cut each roll in half to share.

Contains: ['gluten', 'dairy'].

Follow Chef on Pinterest for the dish in every city.