A hero, a hoagie, a grinder, a sub. You can call it what you want. But there are certain universal truths when it comes to making an Italian cold-cuts sandwich. The first rule: Yes, you can prepare one at home that's as delicious as the one you buy from your favorite sandwich shop.
You just need to break down the components and appreciate the overall architecture. Because, really, you're not making a sandwich, you're building one.
The bread: A basic sub roll, the kind in those plastic bins at your supermarket. Cottony on the inside, a little crackly on the outside.
The meat: This is crucial. Find a good market with a wide selection of cured Italian meats. Ask the guy at the counter to slice them really thin—you want airy ribbons or porky goodness. Texture is everything; you don't want a dense sandwich. I like buying three or four meats: something cured and aged like a soppressata; mortadella, the rich, smooth progenitor of what we call bologna; a cooked ham, such as Parma cotto; and then, if you like heat, get a spicy coppa.
The cheese: Provolone. That's it. Sliced thin, like the cold cuts.
Lettuce: You want a lettuce with crunch. So go with iceberg, shredded. Save the arugula and the fancy farmers' market greens for your next dinner party.
Onion: At BA, we like to slice them, you guessed it, real thin. Then we soak the slices in ice water to temper their raw bite.
Tomato: If they're in season, go for it.
Condiments: I love mayonnaise; I realize everyone does not. Your call. What you do want is some sort of pickled vegetable spread. I either reach for bottled giardiniera, or if I want some heat, I'm big on Calabrian chile spread, which you can find online or an Italian market.
Dressing: The essential, finishing touch that makes an Italian hero taste like the Italian heroes of your youth. Once all of the elements are stacked up (in order: meat, cheese, lettuce, onion), douse it with olive oil and red wine vinegar and then, the key move, a few pinches of dried oregano.
And there you go. You've just built yourself an authentic Italian hero. Or hoagie. Or grinder. Or sub.