A bodega Chopped Cheese can be made homemade for even cheaper than you might have imagined. Homemade hero rolls are at the heart of this, but not before paying homage and respect to the humble sandwich. Before you get all nervous we brought a guest to teach us the good ol' fashioned New York way.
INGREDIENTS:
Hero Roll:
2.5 teaspoons (8g) instant yeast
302g (302ml) water
600g bread flour
2.5 tablespoons (33g) sugar
2g amylase
2 teaspoons (14g) fine sea salt
1/4 cup (34g) unsalted butter
fine cornmeal for dusting
1 egg white
1/2 cup (118ml) water
Filling/Assembly:
1.5 lbs Ground beef
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10 slices American Cheese
10 slices Swiss cheese
1 sliced sweet onion
4 serrano chilies
hero roll, toasted
mayo
ketchup
iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
3 large tomatoes sliced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Hero Roll:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a container mix water (90F) and yeast until dissolved, follow that with sugar, whisk until dissolved, and pour into your stand mixer bowl with the dough hook attachment. In a separate bowl, mix the bread flour and sea salt. Add your flour mix a heaping spoon at a time until all it has been added. Let that mix for five minutes or until your dough turns smooth; then add unsalted softened butter, let that mix for another two minutes or until incorporated and smooth.
Shave your dough into a ball, place it on a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for one hour at room temperature or until doubled. Next, degas your dough by punching; divide into eight evenly sized balls, cover them with a damp towel and rest for ten minutes.
Roll your balls into a rectangle (roughly 7” by 4”). Then starting from the long side, roll it tightly into a log, seal the seam, then roll it out to the ends to taper (try not to get it too long); place them onto a baking sheet lightly dusted with cornmeal, and repeat with the rest of the balls. Next, cover them with another baking sheet inverted, wrap it with plastic wrap and let them proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Whisk one egg white in water until thoroughly combined, pour that into a spray bottle, and spray your dough to coat evenly and lightly with egg wash. (you can use a brush too). Next, using a sharp razor, score your dough at a 35-degree angle, about a quarter of an inch deep into the dough. Place in the oven and bake for 15 - 2o minutes.
Remove and brush with melted butter (optional), then cool on a wire rack until completely cool.
Filling/Assembly:
Split your hero roll, leaving one side attached, toast it lightly on a flat top and increase the heat to medium-high. Next, add a little oil, then a handful of sliced onions and ½ of a thinly sliced serrano pepper, season with salt, and saute until softened and lightly charred, about two to three minutes, and set aside.
Place your ground beef on your flat top, spread the meat out, get a nice sear, let it cook for about two to three minutes, then flip and season with salt.
Chop the meat using the spatula, get it as finely as possible, and let it cook, occasionally stirring. Toss the beef with the veggies back together; line it up roughly into the shape of your bread, add chopped garlic and fold it together until just hot.
Layer on two slices of American cheese and one slice of swiss cheese.
Add a nice layer of mayo to your toasted hero roll, a generous drizzle of ketchup, pepper your buns, place the beef with the melted cheese onto your bread. Next, add some thinly sliced tomato, previously salted, and pepper (let them sit for ten minutes)—finally, some thinly sliced iceberg lettuce.
Tightly wrap it a sandwich paper to serve.
