Ingredients
Bread
- 12 slicespan de miga, thin crustless sandwich bread
Filling
- 300 gcooked ham, thinly sliced
- 300 gmild cheese, sliced
- 4hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 2tomatoes, thinly sliced
- lettuce leaves
Spread
- mayonnaise
- butter, softened
Optional
- sliced red pepper, roasted
- sliced pickled cucumber
To cook
- butter, for the press
Directions
- Slice the tomatoes thinly and lay them on kitchen paper for 10 minutes, then pat them dry. Drying the tomato is the difference between a sandwich and a soggy one, and it takes almost no time.
- Salt the tomato slices lightly at this stage rather than in the sandwich. Butter one side of each bread slice and spread mayonnaise on the facing sides.
- Butter goes on the outside faces that meet the pan, and mayonnaise on the inside. The butter is what browns and crisps the outside, and the mayonnaise seals the crumb against the wet fillings.
- Put the cheese directly against the bread wherever you can, because melting cheese seals the crumb.
- Add a second slice of bread, mayonnaise side down. Keep the lettuce for the layer that will not touch the hot pan, or it wilts to nothing.
- Top with the third slice, buttered side facing out. Press the whole thing down firmly with your palm before it goes near the heat.
- Cook 3 to 4 minutes a side, until deep golden and the cheese has visibly melted at the edges. It should come out about half its original thickness, compressed and crisp. Cut it into triangles, on the diagonal, and serve at once.
Technique
- The cold uncooked version is the sándwich olímpico as served at parties.
- Pan de miga is sold in Uruguayan and Argentine bakeries in sheets, ready for stacking.
- It is a café and bar order rather than something made at home for a meal.
Substitutions
- Any soft white sandwich bread with the crusts cut off.
- Any mild melting cheese.
Variations
- Served cold and untoasted.
- With roasted red pepper added.
- Made in a long tramezzino shape and cut into fingers.
History
A Montevideo bar and café standard, ordered by the half-dozen for parties.
Frequently asked questions
What is Olímpico?
Olímpico is a street food from Uruguay: triple-decker toasted sandwich with ham, cheese, egg, lettuce and tomato. A Montevideo bar and café standard, ordered by the half-dozen for parties.
How long does Olímpico take to make?
Olímpico takes 20 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 sandwiches. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Olímpico?
Yes, within limits. Any soft white sandwich bread with the crusts cut off. Any mild melting cheese.
What is the most important thing to get right in Olímpico?
Slice the tomatoes thinly and lay them on kitchen paper for 10 minutes, then pat them dry. Drying the tomato is the difference between a sandwich and a soggy one, and it takes almost no time.
