Philly Italian Hoagie

Photo: Bill Fox

Ingredients

Ingredients:

10 inches Amoroso roll (very important, read about this recipe)

Capicola

Provolone

Pepper Ham

Genoa Salami

Lettuce, Tomato, onions, oregano,

That’s it, i.e., no vinegar, green peppers, cabbage, and

Preparation

Slice the roll lengthwise but leave a hinge, some people strip the roll, some don’t (striping the roll means removing some of the dough from inside each half). Put a little oil along the seam, the lay down a few pieces of provolone. Put down a couple pieces of capicola on top of the cheese. (the cheese and capicola reinforce the hinge so that it does not break while you are holding and eating it). Next, put in the filling, lettuce, onion, and tomatoes. Add either hot or sweet peppers or pickles (most customers will specify hot, sweet, or pickles). Sprinkle oregano on top. Finally, put on a few slices of hard salami, and then a few slices of pepper ham (this caps the sandwich, and makes it easy to eat without stuff falling all over the place).

Tips:

Don’t go overboard on any of the ingredients, a good hoagie is not loaded with meat, but has just the right balance.

Every good quality hoagie shop in the Philly area slices their meat as they build the sandwich, there is no compromise.

Do not be tempted to deviate from the real thing or the proper ingredients, Italian Hoagies are not heated for instance, and never use vinegar.

Use the best ingredients available, especially the lunchmeats.

Comments

Permalink giorgi perry
May 20, 2010

You Must not have been raised in Philly because Amoroso hoagie rolls are about the least favorite when it comes to taste,the best come from Trenton N.J.,frankie fontaine the best bar none!!And the best hoagie is from Primos,I was raised all my life in southwest Philly,grew up on cheesesteaks hoagies,the real deal back in the day Philly soft pretzels+cherry water ice,I know my hoagies!!Next time your in Philly try Primos ,and I guarantee you'll be hooked!!

Permalink Possum
August 2, 2011

I had and Italian hoagie from Primo's in Ocean City NY, and it was NOT good. Believe it or not, the Wawa's in my area make good hoagies.

Permalink Exhausted
September 14, 2012

It's not a hoagie in the whole Delaware Valley. In Delaware it's a sub.

Permalink Bob
November 22, 2012

I, too, grew up in Delaware County. Wondering if the writer remembers Stackey's Steaks in old Chester. Absolutely the best and have never been duplicated.

Permalink Roy C Pollitt
January 5, 2013

I see no mention of oil on a hoagie/sub. Never heard of that. My question is ... when using oil is it salad oil or olive oil ???

Permalink bill
March 8, 2013

my parents were from PA, we used to go "back east" every summer. Always had to get hoagies and cheesesteaks (and tastykakes!). I remember a place in Boothwyn, think it was called E & M's, not sure. The sandwiches were incredible, just the smell walking through the door was worth the trip!

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About

This recipe is for an authentic Philly Hoagie, not a sub, hero, or whatever Subway or whomever tries to sell you.(with the exception of Wawa, they can make a Hoagie).

I grew up in the Philly area and as a kid ate a lot of hoagies. I say Philly but really mean the Delaware Valley which is greater Philly, and is a place of many neighborhoods. Most of them had a hoagie shop (serving hoagies, cheese steaks, etc ) The best hoagies are not in Philly itself (forget Pat's, etc), you need to go outside of the city to find them. With the help of my uncle who traveled all around the area as a painting estimator, and who was in most of the neighborhoods at one time or another, and hence hoagie shops, I learned what a truly good hoagie is and how to make them. We discussed it often.

A key, indeed a fundamental part of a true Philly hoagie is the roll, most often made by Amoroso’s in Philly. Amorosso’s delivers their rolls all over the Delaware Valley, and also ships them frozen throughout the US. It defines a Philly hoagie, and is the essence of a cheese steak too. Its the main reason I don't even bother to make hoagies here in Vermont, the bread sucks, nough said.

Wikipedia claims a hoagie is just another form of sub sandwich. WRONG. If you are in the Philly area, go to Phil and Jim's in Chester PA, off of Rt. 352. You will see what I mean. They make it fresh, slice the meat right in front of you, all the best ingredients, Amoroso's rolls, the true deal. Enjoy.

More info at http://www.lawrenceyerkes.com/html/rmx-delaware-valley-philadelphia-hoagies-philly-hoagie.htm