Bundtwich Party Sandwich
This giant party sandwich can be endlessly varied to include your favorite deli meats and cheeses. The scratch-made white bread is a very basic recipe but really delivers on flavor – and, when baked in a bundt pan, it has all the structure needed to hold many savory sandwich fillings.The amounts of deli meats, cheeses, and dressings listed in this recipe are suggestions. Add more or less according to your taste or guest list. The bread for the bun recipe can also be baked in two 9x5 inch loaf pans. See the recipe notes for instructions and bake times.
Equipment
- 12 cup bundt pan
- Pastry brush
- instant read probe thermometer
Ingredients
White Bread Bun
- 2 cups warm water 110°F
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain salt
- 6 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
Sandwich Fillings
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce such as romaine or iceberg
- 10 whole romaine lettuce leaves
- 3/4 lb. Black Forest ham deli meat
- 3/4 lb. roast turkey deli meat
- 3/4 lb. roast beef deli meat
- 6 slices Swiss cheese
- 6 slices Colby jack cheese
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- Red onion to taste (I used 10 rings 1/4-inch thick)
- 2 medium tomatoes cut into 1/4-inch slices
Instructions
White Bread Bun
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm water and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Stir in yeast. Let stand 5-7 minutes, or until yeast is well bloomed with a foamy, bubbly appearance.
- Add the oil and salt. Mix briefly. Turn the mixer on low and add 4 cups of flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook. Turn the mixer on low and add more flour a little at a time. You may not have to use all of the flour (I used about 5 1/4 cups).
- When a cohesive soft dough forms cleans the sides of the bowl (but may stick a little in the bottom of the bowl) turn the mixer to medium speed. Knead for 7 minutes with the dough hook. Remove dough to a greased bowl and turn over once to coat. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been lightly misted with cooking spray.
- Place the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-inch wide round cookie cutter to stamp a round hole in the center of the dough.
- Grease and flour a large 12 cup bundt pan (or use flour-based baking spray). Place the dough into the prepared pan, threading bundt pan center through the hole in the dough. Use fingertips to lightly press the dough evenly into the pan, kind of like poking focaccia, but not as forceful (see video for action). Cover the pan with a piece of plastic wrap that has been lightly misted with cooking spray. Transfer the pan to a warm place to rise until it comes to the top of the pan, about 40-45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bread is fragrant. The bread is done when it reaches 190°F on an instant read thermometer (insert the thermometer into the deepest part of the well in the bundt pan). Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle on sesame seeds if desired. If using sesame seeds, bake the bread for 5 minutes more in the oven to toast the seeds, and to set them on the bread.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before filling.
Assemble the Sandwich
- Use a large serrated knife to cut the bread loaf in half horizontally. Remove the top. Use a fork to remove some of the middle of the bread to create a hollow in the loaf. Spread half of the mayonnaise over the bottom half of the loaf, and spread the other half over the cut side of the loaf top.
- Fill the hollow with shredded lettuce, then top with romaine leaves. Place Black Forest ham over 1/3 of the sandwich, followed by roast turkey over another 1/3, and then the roast beef over the final 1/3 of the sandwich.
- Arrange Swiss cheese over the ham, Colby jack over the turkey, and provolone over the roast beef. Top with red onion and tomatoes. Place the bun top over the tomatoes and press down lightly.
- Cover the sandwich with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This can be made a few hours ahead of serving, but should be served the same day it is assembled.
Notes
What to Expect: A giant, delicious sub-inspired sandwich with all the fixings. The bread has a light but obvious sweetness, which is nice alone, but it disappears once the entire sandwich is assembled with all those savory fixings.
Flour Amounts: As stated in the recipe, you may not need to use all the flour in the dough. Add just enough to make a cohesive soft dough that isn't sticky.
Cutting the Sandwich: Skewer each sandwich piece as you slice it, so individual servings don't fall apart. Purchase some long party picks to use for serving.
Bake as 9x5 Loaves: After the first rise, deflate the dough. Knead briefly, just a few turns, then divide in half. Shape the dough into loaves by flattening each piece into a rectangle, then folding/rolling it into thirds, until a rectangular loaf shape is achieved. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Amish Bread Recipe: The Amish white bread recipe I used is from allrecipes with my shaping methods adapted for bundt pan baking.
Shortcut this Recipe with Canned French Bread Dough: Use 2 cans (11 oz. each) of refrigerated Pillsbury Original French Bread from the refrigerator section at your local grocery store. Remove dough from both cans; do not unroll. Place both rolls in a greased bundt pan, end to end, creating one circle. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes. Slice and fill as instructed. (adapted from Pillsbury.com)
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