Pull-Apart Oven Sandwich

Who doesn't love ham and cheese? It's even better when it's heated. This has much of the same flavors as the Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches I've made before, but with a different presentation for a little more "wow" factor at the table.

Here's the deal with these; any meat or cheese works and you can use just mustard or honey mustard on the insides and you don't really need any on the outside of the loaf. Any way you slice it, it's delicious.

 Start with a loaf of Italian bread.

 Cut 13 times to make 6 sandwiches (12 slices of bread) and two ends. Don't cut all the way through to the bottom of the bread. It's a must to let the bread stand for 30 minutes once cut if you'll be spreading the insides with the margarine mixture.

 Put bread onto tin foil. Spread margarine mixture on the inside edges of each sandwich. Don't spread on what will be the outsides of each sandwich or you'll have a mess!

 This is the spread in the center of 6 sandwiches - each labeled so you can see easier how to cut. Use 2/3 of the spread for this part.

 Put ham and cheese in between slices of bread spread with margarine mixture. This makes 6 sandwiches with two ends left to the bread.

 Cover the outside of the sandwich with the remaining 1/3 of spread.

 Wrapped and ready for the oven. Bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

 The finished sandwich.

 Individual sandwiches.

Pull-Apart Oven Sandwich
Printable Recipe

1 loaf Italian bread - unsliced
1/2 cup margarine spread (like Country Crock) or softened butter
2 Tablespoons brown mustard
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 pound sliced ham
6 slices Provolone cheese

1. Make 13 even slices into bread, but do not cut all the way through to the bottom. This should make 14 slices of bread - 12 even and 2 larger ends. (See photo) Let bread stand for half an hour to dry out the slices slightly.
2. Mix margarine, honey and mustard together until well blended. Spread into the center of bread slices, leaving spaces between sandwiches. Spread on the insides only, where you will place the ham and cheese.
3. Put ham and cheese in between slices that were spread with margarine mixture.
4. Wrap entire loaf in tin foil and put into 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before unwrapping and serving.