Coppa, Artichoke and Rocket Baguette
Coppa is cured pork neck — more marbled than prosciutto, softer, and considerably richer. It needs something sharp against it, which is what the artichokes and rocket are doing here.
Ingredients
Sandwich
- 1 sourdough baguette (wheat)
- 10 thin slices coppa
- 6 chargrilled artichoke hearts in oil, quartered
- 2 handfuls rocket
- 1 tbsp of the artichoke oil
- Squeeze of lemon, black pepper
Method
- Drain the artichokes. Lift them from the jar and drain on kitchen paper for a few minutes, keeping a tablespoon of the oil.
- Split and oil. Split the baguette along one side, leaving a hinge. Brush the cut faces with the reserved artichoke oil.
- Layer. Lay the coppa in loose folds along the length, then tuck the artichoke quarters between the folds rather than piling them on top.
- Finish. Add the rocket, a squeeze of lemon and plenty of black pepper. Close and press.
- Rest. Give it five minutes for the oil to work into the crumb before cutting.
Every sandwich here is only as good as the bread. Ours starts with a live culture — buy a live sourdough starter and bake your own.
Frequently asked questions
What is coppa?
Cured, air-dried pork neck, also sold as capocollo. It has more intramuscular fat than prosciutto, which makes it softer and richer, with a gentle warmth from the pepper or paprika it is often rubbed with.
What can I use instead of coppa?
Prosciutto is the closest easy substitute, though leaner. Speck adds smoke, and bresaola is much leaner and beefier — if you use bresaola, add a little more oil.
Why leave a hinge when splitting a baguette?
A baguette cut fully in half becomes two unstable pieces and the filling slides out. Cutting along one side only keeps everything contained and makes it far easier to eat standing up.
Can I use jarred artichokes in water?
You can, but drain and dry them thoroughly and add an extra drizzle of olive oil, because you lose the flavour the oil-packed ones carry.
