Marv ’n’ Joe Sandwiches
Aggies already know how good these are!
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Marv ‘n’ Joe are legends in the small city of Logan, Utah, where this sandwich has dominated the lunch landscape of Utah State for decades. The story goes that 2 engineering professors at this college came up with the unique open-faced sandwich, Marvin W. Halling and Joseph A. Caliendo. The sandwich was then picked up by a local bakery with a shop on campus where the sammy grew in populrity. Today, you can make these Marv ’n’ Joe Sandwiches in your kitchen and find out why they are so famous with aggies on campus to this day!
The flavors of garlic and balsamic vinegar really make this dish. If you’re not a garlic fan leave the garlic out. Otherwise, enjoy the heavenly aroma of the garlic butter as these tasty open-faced sammies bake!
The core of this open-faced sandwich is some good bread and some tasty tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes give the best flavor, but if you can’t find those then some Beefsteak tomatoes are the next best option. You want one good slice per sandwich and depending on the size of the tomatoes you might need up to 4 fruits.
I recommend adding your balsamic vinegar to a small glass and then scooping 1/8 teaspoons onto the sandwiches. This way you don’t just eyeball it from the bottle and end up spilling too much on the sandwiches. I was a little heavy handed with a few and they were extra tangy!
For this recipe we’re using some freshly-shaved Parmesan cheese and I don’t recommend the canned or shredded parm for these sandwiches.
Not only does freshly-sliced Parmesan from a block taste much fresher than anything pre-packaged, there’s another reason to shave your Parmesan for this recipe. It’s actually much easier to top the sandwiches with the shavings than it is to use grated Parmesan. I like to use my Y-shaped vegetable peeler to shave the cheese. It goes quickly with such a handy tool! The thin but slightly larger pieces don’t fall all over the pan when you add them, meaning more of that yummy cheese ends up on your sammy!
The top layer of Provolone seals all the Parmesan and other flavors in while it bakes. You can make these in a toaster oven, but the broil function on an oven is best for making a lot of them. This recipe makes 8 small sandwiches, about 4 servings.
If you’re thinking these are like Caprese sandwiches the flavor is actually much more complex. The garlic butter, bread, and Provolone give these Marv ’n’ Joe Sandwiches a wonderful flavor all their own. You’ve got to try one to understand!
Marv ’n’ Joe Sandwiches
Yield(s): Makes 8 small sandwiches
10m prep time
7m cook time
Diet: Vegetarian
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 4 large slices sourdough bread or Texas toast, cut in half
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 8 large slices heirloom or Beefsteak tomato (2-4 fruits depending on size)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 slices smoked provolone cheese
- shaved Parmesan cheese, to taste (about 2-4 oz)
- optional: fresh thyme, parsley, or basil leaves to garnish
Preparation
- Toast bread on lowest setting in toaster before assembling for crunchier bread.
- Set oven to broil on low. Combine garlic and butter. Spread some garlic butter on each piece of bread. Add tomato slice to each piece of bread then drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan then add a single slice of Provolone to each sandwich.
- Place on baking sheet and place under broiler for 4-7 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling. Add fresh herbs on top if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.