Pane cunzatu/cunzato is a traditional Sicilian, piled high, open-faced sandwich. You can layer it with anything from fresh and/or sun dried tomatoes; capers; olives; dried and/or fresh herbs; grilled vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and/or artichokes; fresh cheese, such as mozzarella or ricotta al forno (a speciality of Sicily), to canned sardines, tuna, or anchovies — basically all things Mediterranean.

I first came across this creation on the quaint island of Salina, one of  the Aeolian Islands (off the northeast coast of Sicily). The briny capers, a specialty of the Aeolian Islands, anchovies, fresh tomatoes and herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and oregano remind me of carefree days soaking up the Mediterranean sun (if only all days could be like that). This sandwich is the epitome of simplicity, yet is bursting with flavor. It’s a quick, easy, and delicious way to incorporate summer produce without much fuss or effort. Which is ideal for this time of year, since most of us prefer to spend warm summer days outdoors, rather than in the kitchen. Myself included.

I couldn’t find a good local bread for my pane cunzatu so I whipped up a quick homemade focaccia. Well, not exactly quick, since it required a 12-hour overnight rise in the refrigerator and a few more hours at room temperature the next day, but easy nonetheless. This time around I used all all-purpose flour, but next time I might incorporate a whole-grain flour, such as spelt, just enough to provide a bit more bite/chew without being too dense.

What are you cooking during these summer days?

It’s a bit messy to eat, but, I can live with that…

Pane Cunzatu

1 (8 to 9-inch) piece of focaccia
Extra virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
handful of capers
½ pint jarred quartered artichokes, drained
8 anchovies, more or less to taste
Fresh herbs, such as basil and mint
Dried oregano
Red chile flakes

Toast bread in the oven until crispy on the outside. Slice focaccia in half horizontally. Reserve top half of the focaccia for another day. Drizzle olive oil over bottom half. Toss tomatoes with olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Layer tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, capers, artichokes, anchovies, and herbs on top. Sprinkle with dried oregano and red chile flakes. Season with sea salt and few grinds of black pepper. Finish with a generous drizzle of peppery olive oil.