The radicchio gives this sandwich a nice peppery bite and . . . adds an abundance of vitamins and antioxidants. The combination of ricotta and figs is classic Italian, when combined with the salty prosciutto, it gives you the perfect sandwich.
It is hard to say how many sandwiches you will be able to make because it all depends on how big or small you cut your slices of bread. I made 4 sandwiches.
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 lemon – zest only
1 tbsp Olive oil
½ lb shaved good quality ham
8 slice of prosciutto de parma sliced extra thin
Radicchio
Flat leaf Italian parsley
Fig marmalade or spread
Crusty Italian bread – split in half length wise
Salt and pepper
Cut the radicchio in half and place it on a sheet of tinfoil. Drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven under the broiler, turning frequently, until it is slightly charred on all sides. Remove from the oven and cut into thin slices. Set aside.
Mix the ricotta, lemon zest and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a bowl. Set aside.
With a serrated knife, cut the bread length wise then into sandwich size portions. You can go big or small depending on if it is going to be an appetizer plate of sandwiches or if you are serving a sandwich for lunch. Brush the bread with olive oil and place under the broiler until desired toastyness.
To make this sandwich, begin by placing a schmear of the cheese mixture on the bottom half of each sandwich (you are going to add more on top!). Then layer each sandwich with the ham, prosciutto, radicchio and parsley. Place a heaping tablespoon, or more depending on the size of your bread, of the cheese mixture on each top half. Spoon a generous helping of the fig marmalade on top of the cheese. Place the top half of the sandwich on the bottom and push down slightly. I know, your mouth is watering right now. Believe me it should be! It is that good.