Italian Prosciutto Sandwich with Pesto & Roasted Peppers

A close-up of a thick sandwich on focaccia bread filled with pesto, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and sliced meat, sitting on a wooden board with a small bowl of pesto and a bottle in the background.

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Italian Prosciutto Sandwich with Pesto & Roasted Peppers

There’s something undeniably satisfying about a well-made Italian sandwich, and this prosciutto and mozzarella version delivers on every level. Layered with creamy mozzarella, silky prosciutto, fresh basil pesto, and roasted red peppers—all tucked into golden, olive oil-rich homemade schiacciata. 💃🏻 No sad sandwiches here!

Prep15

Cook0

Total15

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: authentic Italian sandwich recipe, chef-tested sandwich, elevated sandwich recipe, italian cold cut sandwich

Servings: large sandwiches

Calories: 973kcal

Author: Ari Laing

Equipment

Serrated knife

Ingredients

2 large squares of Schiaccata bread or focaccia
½ lb prosciutto, very thinly sliced
8 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella or burrata cheese
¼ - ½ cup fresh basil pesto, use more or less as you prefer!
6 oz roasted red peppers
Aged balsamic vinegar
Flaky sea salt

Instructions

While not necessary, this sandwich is truly exception with homemade schiaccata bread -- give it a try, it can be made same-day!
Prep the bread. Slice the schiacciata horizontally. If you like a little crunch, drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and toast cut-side down in a hot skillet or grill pan until golden, 1-2 minutes. (This is completely optional and I actually prefer the bread untoasted.)
Spread the pesto. While the bread is still warm, slather the bottom half with a generous layer of fresh basil pesto, about 2-3 Tbsp or to taste.
Add prosciutto. Fold the prosciutto slices on top into loose, ruffled layers so every bite gets plenty of silky cured ham.
Layer mozzarella. Add thick slices of mozzarella in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.
Add peppers. Lay the roasted red peppers on top of the mozzarella. If you’re assembling the sandwich for later, you can blot them dry with a paper towel before adding to remove excess moisture (and help prevent the sandwich from getting soggy).
Finish, then enjoy! Finally, drizzle the top with 1-2 tsp of aged balsamic vinegar. Place the top half of the bread on, press gently to seal, then slice and enjoy immediately!

Notes

To make ahead: Assemble up to a day in advance, omitting any particularly wet ingredients until serving. Store wrapped tightly in the refrigerator.
Leftovers: Wrap individual sandwiches in parchment or foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Enjoy cold or bring to room temperature before serving. Avoid reheating, as it can make the cheese rubbery and the prosciutto dry.

Nutrition

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