Tuscan Turkey Melt

Let's be honest with each other for a minute here, okay? I make a lot of food and *most* of the food I make comes out really, really yummy and I'm usually very happy with it. Well, I'm not sure how to properly convey the message I'm wanting to convey here but I'll give it a try...

You. Have. To. Make. This. Sandwich.

Did you understand what I was trying to say there? I care about you deeply and I want only the best food for you... So, I need you to make this Tuscan Turkey Melt and then I need you to come back here and tell me how it made you feel afterward. I'm pretty sure this sandwich has changed my life and opened my eyes to a whole new world of sandwich-eating.

You see this? This is the beginning of a very beautiful sun-dried tomato sauce that is one of my favorite things EVER. I would eat this with a spoon if I could, but that would just be weird...

It becomes a very beautiful color once it's blended. See? How could you not want to eat it?

It's stacked with delicious herbed turkey and dry salami (placed beautifully by my darling husband!) Let's all give my hubby a hand for being such an amazing salami-placer. Great job, honey!

Now it's starting to look pretty...

Cheese! Lots o' cheese! This is a melt afterall, so we're going to need a whole lot of cheese.

Then, a little spinach... 

And roasted red bell peppers! My favorite. They're so beautiful, aren't they? I just love their vibrant color! They just scream "Look at me! I'm so pretty and you should devour me!"

And then... and then... the sauce. The SAUCE! Hands down the best part of the sandwich. I was tempted to just dump the whole thing of sauce on just one of the sandwiches but my hubby talked me out of it and brought me back to reality, where just because something is delicious, it doesn't mean you have to overdo it. Darn him and his wisdom.

Just looking at this picture, you know you're in for a treat. You know that there is no way this isn't going to be the best Tuscan Turkey Melt you've ever had. Or maybe even the best sandwich you've ever had *fingers crossed*. 

So, before you do anything else, put down whatever it is you're doing, go to the store and buy the ingredients for this sandwich. Then, at your earliest convenience, make this Tuscan Turkey Melt. Make it. Do it. Peer pressure!! You won't be sorry. Your tastebuds will thank you. All will be well in the world. Now, go!

Tuscan Turkey Melt:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 4 slices sourdough bread 
• 6 thick slices herbed deli turkey (we used a garlic herb turkey breast!)
• 12 slices dried salami
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1 red bell pepper, stem removed, halved and deseeded
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Sea salt

for the Sun-dried tomato sauce:

• 5 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), chopped
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 large basil leaves, torn in half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place bell pepper on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Roast in oven, turning twice, for about 25-30 minutes, or until skin is charred and wrinkly. Remove from oven, place in ziptop bag and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Turn oven down to 400 degrees.

Place sun-dried tomatoes, mayonnaise, garlic and basil in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a pretty coral color, but there are still chunks of sun-dried tomato left. Set aside.

Butter one side of your sourdough bread and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat with other bread slices. Now, layer on the turkey, then the salami, then the provolone on two of the bread slices. Remove stems from the spinach and layer on top of the cheese.

Remove peppers from bag and remove skin, Cut pepper into 3 equal pieces and place over the spinach. 

Spread half of the sun-dried tomato mixture over the remaining bread (the non-buttered side!) Top sandwich with bread (butter side out!)

Place a heavy baking sheet over the top of the sandwiches and place in the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, check bread and make sure it's getting crispy, then remove the top baking sheet, crank oven to 475 degrees and bake for additional 5 minutes.

Remove from oven when bread is crispy and starting to brown and cheese is melty and delicious.

Cut sandwiches in half and serve right away to hungry family members.

Enjoy!

Makes 2 (large) sandwiches.