Hailee Catalano knows a thing or two about a good sammy.
TikTok foodies are familiar with the food creator’s diligent sandwich-building clips. The chef piles layers of Italian meats, fresh cheeses, homemade spreads and roasted vegetables on (oftentimes homemade) bread, rolls the creation in parchment paper and eats it at the beach. Here, she shares her “perfect summer sandwich,” and there’s no sand required.
“This BLT has so many different textures and flavors while still being quite simple, which I think is such a great representation of my cooking in general,” says the author of the By Heart cookbook. “I love taking something seemingly simple and making my ideal version of it.”
Her version swaps mayonnaise for homemade toum, a Middle Eastern garlic dip, because she has a “love-hate relationship with mayo.” “Sometimes mayo on a sandwich isn’t my jam, but the toum provides a similar texture while being a touch lighter and providing a lovely garlicky flavor,” says Catalano.
Hailee Catalano’s BLT Sandwich with Toum Garlic Spread
12 thick-cut peppered bacon slices (1½ lbs.)
½ cup peeled garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1½ cups canola oil, divided
2 Tbsp. ice-cold water
8 potato bread slices
1 small head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated, cold
3 large multicolored heirloom tomatoes, sliced ½-in. thick
1 tsp. flaky sea salt
Black pepper, to taste
4 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh dill
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place a wire rack on top. Arrange bacon in an even layer on wire rack. Bake bacon in oven until golden and crispy, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
2. While bacon cooks, place garlic, lemon juice and kosher salt in a quart-size container or similar narrow, high-sided bowl. Using an immersion blender, process until creamy and mostly smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. With blender running, very slowly stream in ¾ cup of the oil until very smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. With blender still running, slowly stream in water, scraping down sides of container as needed, until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
4. With blender running, slowly stream in remaining ¾ cup oil. Toum should be emulsified and thick and look like mayonnaise. Place in refrigerator until ready to assemble sandwich.
5. To assemble sandwiches, toast bread until very lightly golden. Spread 1½ tablespoons toum on 1 side of each toasted bread slice. Top 4 bread slices each with 2 large lettuce leaves and 2 tomato slices; sprinkle tomato slices with flaky salt and pepper. Top each with 3 bacon slices, breaking slices as needed to fit bread, and 1 teaspoon dill. Top with remaining toasted bread slices, and serve immediately. (Store leftover toum in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
Serves: 4
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
