Italian Sub Sandwich

Me and my Gabagool, I just Love it! Gabagool that is. Otherwise known as Capicola,Capocollo,Capicolla, and Ham Capicole .. Gabagool (Capicola) is a Italian Salumi porl product made from the pork neck or shoulder .. Unlike Salami, which is made of ground meat mixed with ground pork fat that is seasoned, salted and cured, Capicola is a whole piece of meat similar to prosciutto in that it is cured in a whole piece. Italian-AMericans particularly love their Gabagool and Gabagool Sandwiches either as part of a Sub Sandwich with Provolone, Salami, lettuce,onions, tomatoe, Olive Oil and Vinegar .. Some get Capicola with Provolone and Hot Peppers or the same without the Hot Peppers. I love Capicola with just Provolone or Gabagool & Egg with two scrambled eggs with 3 slices of Sweet Gabagool. Some like their Gabagool Hot, I prefer it sweet. Not that it is sweet with sugar, just that it’s not hot .. You can make Gabagool & Egg Sandwiches like I saide with a couple scrambled eggs and a few slices of Capicolla on a small hero or Kaiser Roll or Italian Bread .. OR you can make Gabagool & Egg by chopping the Gabagool and cooking it in a little olive oil and then add the eggs and scramble the sauteed Capicola inside the scrambled eggs and you can have it with Swiis or Provolone CHeese or not .. Anyway you make the Gabagool, it’s always good and much loved. Bon Apettito di Gabgool.

Gabagool is Neapolitan dialect for Capicola, a Salumi pork product made from the neck of the pig.

Italian-Americans love their sandwiches. They’ve got some famous ones that many non-Italians in America know of as well. Of course everyone knows about Italian Submarine Sandwiches like the most typical of Salami, Ham, and Provolone with Lettuce, Onion, and Tomato dressed with Oil & Vinegar with Salt, Pepper and Oregano. Most everyone knows about Meatball Parm Sandwiches and Sausage & Peppers. Those in New orleans and those who have visited the famed Central Grocery know of New Orleans Famous Sicilian-American Muffuletta Sandwich and those in Chicago have Italian Beef (Sandwiches), and Philly Famed Cheese-Steaks, “Yes They Are Italian.” Italian-Americans have many great sandwiches that aren’t quite as well know. And we like it that way. Hey we have to keep some things to ourselves. For example I have a famous Sandwich that my Aunt Helen taught me, and all my friends go nuts for it, “Aunt Helen’s Panini al Ovo.” The sandwich amazing! Made of spinach sauteed with olive oil and butter, with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and served on nice toasted Italian Bread, my friends go nuts for it. Sausage Pepper & Eggs or Sausage & Potato are a couple other Secret Sandwiches.

As I said my Aunt Helen’s Panini al Ovo is famous, but famous just within a small group of a few who are Lucky to know of this rare Gem. Another one, is one I created by accident one day. When I owned my restaurant Bar Cichetti on Houston Street in New York’s Greenwich Village I created this tasty sandwich by accident one day. Before we started our lunch service one day, I had made a little plate of food for myself for lunch. The plate consisted of two Fried Eggs and 3 slices of Prosciutto di Parm with a couple slices of bread on the side. It made for a nice little lunch. One of my regular customers came in and saw me eating it and asked what it was, I told him, “Just a couple Fried Eggs with Prosciutto.” He said, “Hhumm.” A few minutes later one of my waitresses came in and said the guy wanted some Prosciutto with Fried Eggs. I made it and sent it out. She cam back and said the guy wanted some Garlic Bread. I made him some Tuscan Garlic Bread of toasted Italian Bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with Olive Oil. The guy loved it. A couple days later, for my own lunch I decided to make the Fried Eggs with Prosciutto and put it on a toasted hero-roll as a sandwich. Voila a new sandwich was created.

So there you go, you’ve got the famous well-known Italian-Sandwiches, you’ve got lesser known regional ones like Italian-Beef of Chicago and the Muffuletta of New Orleans. Then you’ve got Secret Sandwiches like my “Aunt Hellen’s Panini al Ovo” and my own “Ovo Frittti con Prosciutto,” what’s better than that?