Tampa Medianoche: The Cuban Midnight Sandwich Born in Havana's Nightclubs, Perfected in Tampa

The medianoche, meaning "midnight" in Spanish, is a Cuban pressed sandwich of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and yellow mustard, assembled on a sweet, soft egg bread and pressed flat on a plancha until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted. According to Wikipedia, the medianoche originated in Cuba and is so named because of the sandwich's popularity as a staple served in Havana's nightclubs right around or after midnight, and it differs from the Cuban sandwich in its bread, using a sweet egg bread instead of Cuban bread. The Kitchn describes the medianoche as a close sibling to the more famous cubano, with an identical filling of Swiss cheese, pork, ham, pickles, and mustard, but on a sweeter, softer, eggier loaf, and notes that the extra sugar in the dough browns harder on the press. La Segunda Bakery traces the Cuban bread tradition to Tampa's Ybor City, where Cuban immigrant workers established bakeries and social clubs at the turn of the twentieth century, and where the Cuban sandwich and its medianoche cousin became the daily food of the cigar factory workers.

The genius of the medianoche is the bread. The sweet egg bread, called pan suave or medianoche bread, is enriched with eggs, sugar, and butter, and when it is pressed on a hot plancha, the sugar in the dough caramelizes, producing a crust that is darker, sweeter, and crisper than the Cuban bread used for the cubano. The filling is identical to the Cuban sandwich: layers of roast pork (lechón asado), thinly sliced ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickle slices, and yellow mustard, pressed together until the cheese melts and the bread and filling fuse into one warm, savory, sweet-and-sour bite. Eaten at any hour, though traditionally after midnight, the medianoche is the most Cuban sandwich there is, a dish that was born in Havana's nightclubs and perfected in Tampa's Ybor City, where Cuban bread is still baked with a palmetto leaf pressed along the top.

About the Ingredients

Medianoche bread — a sweet, soft, egg-enriched bread, similar to challah or brioche, that is the defining ingredient of the medianoche. If unavailable, challah or a soft egg bun can be substituted.

Roast pork — lechón asado, Cuban-style roast pork, slow-roasted with garlic, citrus, and oregano, then sliced thin. This is the heart of the sandwich.

Ham — thinly sliced deli ham, layered with the roast pork.

Swiss cheese — slices of Swiss cheese, which melt under the press and bind the sandwich together.

Dill pickles — thinly sliced dill pickles, which provide the sour, crunchy counterpoint to the sweet bread and the rich pork.

Yellow mustard — yellow or Dijon mustard, spread on the bread, which provides the sharp, acidic counterpoint.

Butter — butter or oil, applied to the outside of the bread before pressing, for a golden, crisp crust.

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches): - 4 medianoche bread rolls (or small challah rolls or soft egg buns) - 1 lb Cuban roast pork (lechón asado), sliced thin - 1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham - 8 slices Swiss cheese - Dill pickle slices - Yellow mustard - Butter, for pressing

Instructions: Slice each bread roll lengthwise, leaving the back hinge connected.

Spread yellow mustard on both cut sides of the bread. Layer the bottom half with Swiss cheese, then roast pork, then ham, then dill pickle slices, then another slice of Swiss cheese. Close the sandwich.

Butter the outside of the top and bottom of each sandwich.

Heat a plancha, panini press, or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches on the press and weight them down with a heavy lid or a second skillet. Press firmly.

Cook until the bread is golden brown and crisp and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes per side. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally and serve hot.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The savory, pressed, sweet-bread medianoche wants a bright, sparkling drink that can cut the richness and echo the Cuban table. A classic Champagne mimosa is the natural match, the orange juice a bright counter to the roast pork and the bubbles lifting the melted cheese. A sparkling mojito is equally fine, its rum, mint, and lime the most Cuban companion to the Havana-born sandwich. This pairing is a sparkling toast to the Havana nightclub patrons and the Ybor City bakers who made the medianoche an institution.

Reference Links: - Medianoche (Cuba origin, Havana nightclubs, midnight, sweet egg bread, pan suave): Wikipedia - Recipe: Cuban Medianoche Sandwiches (identical filling to cubano, sweet egg bread, press): The Kitchn