This Affordable Sandwich Can Be Made Now, and Eaten Later

This is Dinner and Change, a column about recipes that feed four people for about $10—or less.

I have to tell you: the first time I made these sandwiches from Julia Turshen's book Now and Again, I wasn’t expecting much. No shade to the recipe, but every time I’d eaten broccoli rabe before this, I’d never really been that impressed.

But the sandwich called to me. It said, “make me ahead of time for a picnic lunch.” And that’s what I did, layering the garlicky blanched-and-sautéed greens with squishy fresh mozzarella and a tangy olive salad that gives the sandwich richness and vibrance.

It’s the blanching then sautéeing of the greens (in olive oil with plenty of garlic and red pepper) that does the trick. The greens become silky and tender—just slightly bitter and wonderfully savory. In the style of a classic New Orleans muffaletta, the sandwiches are bejeweled with the well-seasoned olive mix, then wrapped and pressed. Like that, the sandwich can be held for as little as an hour or as much as two days.

You can riff on these sandwiches to make them even less expensive to make, substituting whatever hearty greens you have on hand or find on sale at the store. I’ve made the sandwiches several times since that first go round: once with collard greens (definitely cheaper than rabe) and once with Swiss chard (though that was definitely more expensive). I've used other olives, and added a dash of hot sauce. I've even eaten these sandwiches inside the comfort of my own home, though there was admittedly something missing. So if you have even a tiny patch of outdoor space—a tiny patio, or a sturdy fire escape to hang out on—I recommend you eat your sandwich there. At least, that is, until you can get back to the beach.

Pressed Broccoli Rabe and Mozzarella Sandwiches

The Breakdown

Mozzarella: $5.79, Broccoli rabe: $1.99, Sandwich Rolls: $1, Capers: $.65, Olive oil: $.39, Olives: $.35, Garlic: $.10, Red wine vinegar: $.08, Red pepper flakes: $.06, Salt: $.01, Total: $10.42 ($2.61 per serving). For more on how Epicurious prices out recipes, click here.

Use It Up

You'll likely have extra olives around after making this recipe, and you can definitely make extra olive spread to layer onto any sandwich you like. Or serve some warmed and spiced or tossed into an herby pasta or chopped salad. (The brine is a valuable ingredient, too!) As for the capers, if you've never tried a crispy one, these deviled eggs are a good excuse. Or add your capers to a tuna and green bean salad or toss onto roasted veg. And those extra sandwich rolls? They'll be perfect for egg sandwiches tomorrow. Want to make them last longer? Fry them into croutons.

Originally Appeared on Epicurious