I learned what a Hoagie is when visiting my girlfriend's family in Philadelphia. Hoagies come from there and you can get the sandwiches at local bars, delis, and sandwich shops. To see my recipe version you can scroll to the end of this blog post to see how I make mine.
Click on any photo to see it larger.
They are composed of cold cuts deli meats and cheese (provolone) with a typical sandwich topping of tomato, onion, and lettuce on a soft Italian or French-style roll.
What makes a Hoagie unique is an oil and vinegar salad dressing to drizzle inside the sandwich. If you like a fast-food Subway Italian B.M.T., Spicy Italian, or a Cold Cut Combo Sandwich, you will like a Hoagie.
Check out my slideshow visit below to Happy Hour Tavern in Levittown, Pennsylvania for my first real local Hoagie. The bar is attached to Dale's Deli. Of course, it was a delicious Hoagie Sandwich along with a bag of Charles Chips, and a limited edition Yuengling Hershy's Chocolate Porter beer!
My first Hoagie Sandwich in Levittown, Pennsylvania
Slideshow
I didn't realize it, but growing up we used to take a Southern version of a Hoagie to school, but we called it a Baloney and Cheese Sandwich. The main difference was mine was served with plain sliced white bread. I liked mine with the addition of mayo, lettuce, pickle, and tomato.
The Hoagie is Italian-American in origin at the turn of the 20th Century. A Hoagie is claimed the "Official Sandwich of Philadelphia." You can read all about the origins as well as various versions here. A real Hoagie is always served cold or room temperature, not heated like a similar Submarine Sandwich.
Some say the Hoagie is derived from the Tin Pan Alley songwriter and actor Hoagie Carmicheal. That's a bit of a stretch, but both came on the scene about the same time.
Two or three deli meats are laid out in a typical Hoagie. The main deli meat is Salami, which I come by from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. Other deli meats that can be included are Capicola, Prosciutto, Ham, Baloney, Mortadella, and Pepperoni.
For cheese, a Hoagie has slices of Provolone cheese. Provolone is a mild soft cheese similar to Mozzarella (a fine alternate cheese) that shows up on your typical pizza. Now, Provolone is harder to find at dollar stores, but I frequently score Mozzarella cheese.
I once discovered a vegan Provolone...hmmm, can't say it tasted anything like real cheese.
As for a cheese substitution use any fave like Monterrey Jack, Colby, String Cheese, Cheddar, and even good old American Cheese.
Check out the meat and cheese list for Hoagies from a great sandwich shop in Philadelphia called Jack's Place.
And here is a slide show of when Linda and I stopped there on the way to the airport, a stop I definitely will make again next vacation. By the way, we saved a portion of sandwich for the plane flight.
Hoagie Sandwich from Jack's Place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Slideshow
A Hoagie is all about the bread, too. The bread roll is of the Italian variety, slightly crunchy on the outside and very soft inside. If your grocery store makes bread fresh daily, then they should have a similar roll. Local Latin markets have a roll called Bolillo. In Louisiana, our French Roll for a Po-Boy is about the same. I'm sure your local bread purveyors have a version that will fill the bill.
Now, hot dog buns and steak rolls are a bit too soft, but I guess they will do in a pinch? I would toast those types of rolls to get some crunch. Rolls with crunchy crusts and soft centers are best.
I like my sandwiches with mayo and mustard, but a Hoagie has an Italian dressing mix of oil, vinegar, and sometimes dried oregano. Just drizzle the dressing over the sandwich insides.
Lettuce, sliced tomato, and onion complete a Hoagie Sandwich. If you are a stickler about the order of sandwich fillings, then stack it your way. From a deli, the common order is meat on the bottom and veggies on top. The Hoagie is usually finished with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
I've had the sandwich served with yellow vinegary pepperoncini's and a bag of salty potato chips.
Wow, this is such a tasty blog post...please excuse me, I'm off to make myself a Hoagie Sandwich right now -- won't you join me? Just follow my Hoagie Sandwich recipe video below and make your own.
Hoagie Sandwich - Recipe Video
Play it here, video runs 3 minutes, 50 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Ingredients
- Salami and Pepperoni - add as much as you like. I used small 3-ounce packages. Other deli meats you can use include Capicola, Prosciutto, Ham, Bologna, and Mortadella.
- Italian-style bread - 6 or 12-inch loaves. Okay to use any small loaves you like. I recommend a crunchy outside and a soft inside. I used a 6-inch roll.
- Lettuce - one leaf chopped.
- Tomato - sliced. I like thick-sliced, but okay to slice thin like a deli would do.
- Onion - sliced. Okay to use red, yellow, or white onion. Usually, the onion is thin-sliced like the deli meat. I like mine a little thicker.
- Provolone - a couple of slices, depending on how large the slices are. Okay to use any mild cheese like mozzarella, Monterrey Jack, American, or String Cheese.
- Salt & Pepper - give a generous sprinkle on toppings before closing the sandwich. When I get them in Philadelphia that is the first hit the sandwich gives you. I am a low-salt type these days so I will often leave it out.
Italian Salad Dressing
- Red Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon. Okay to use any vinegar you have on hand.
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon. Okay to use any favorite flavorful oil.
- Oregano - 1 teaspoon. I used dried oregano. Okay to use any favorite Italian herbs like parsley, basil, or an Italian Mix.
Open all the packages of cold cuts and cheese. Slice meat and cheese if necessary. Slice open the bread loaf.
Chop a lettuce leaf, and slice the tomato and onion. I like a medium-sized slice of tomato and onion. Some Deli restaurants like to slice veggies very thin.
Make the Italian Salad Dressing. In a small bowl add olive oil, vinegar, and dried oregano. Blend with a fork or a whisk until well mixed, about 30 seconds.
Now assemble the Hoagie Sandwich. I like to add lettuce, tomato, and onion on the sliced bread bottom, then drizzle the Italian Salad Dressing on the veggies.
Now pile on the deli meat and cheese. Add as much as you like. Okay to drizzle on more Italian Salad Dressing on the meat and cheese or on the bread insides. The Hoagies I've had in Philadelphia are finished with a liberal shake of salt and pepper.
Close the sandwich and chow down!
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