Authentic Cuban Sandwich Recipe Florida, United States of America

Originally known as the mixto or mixed sandwich, the Cuban sandwich was introduced to Florida by cigar laborers arriving from Cuba at the beginning of the 20th century. The dish consists of lengthwise sliced Cuban bread, roasted pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, thin slices of dill pickles, and, according to some sources, mustard. When assembled, the sandwich needs to be pressed in la plancha, a sandwich press similar to a panini press, but without ridged surfaces. An important ingredient of the sandwich is the crusty Cuban bread, which is traditionally baked with palmetto leaves inserted along the top of the loaf, creating the recognizable split crust. Palmetto leaves allow the bread to expand during baking, the same as slashes do on other kinds of bread dough. The leaves do not influence the flavor of the bread; they are used simply for creating the signature crusty ridge.  Key West and Tampa, the two big cigar factory areas which housed many foreign workers, ... Read more