A new twist for the big game

The Big Game is coming.

You start planning appetizers, snacks, foods, drinks and maybe even desserts that will please everyone during the Super Bowl.

I have a solution for a great party platter as one of your main dishes.

This sandwich was inspired by my sister Hannah. I had made chicken parm meatball subs one evening for a family dinner.

As my sisters were around the table, Hannah mentioned that we should try a chicken parmigiana sandwich next time on one of her favorite things, a garlic knot, instead.

You can use jarred sauce, but try making your own a few days before or a week or two before the big game and freeze it.

If you have the time, you can make the rolls a day or two ahead, too. The mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese melts well.

The chicken is a bit crunchy yet nestled in the tomato sauce. Just an easy sandwich to grab, when watching the Super Bowl.

This sandwich will definitely win in the satisfying food category, no matter which team actually wins the game.

Perfect with potato salad, mac and cheese, your favorite greens tossed in a salad. Add in the beverage of your choice. Give this roll and sandwich a try. It is a winner.

Garlic Slider Rolls

3 cups of Bob Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1½ teaspoons of SAF yeast (I order mine online.)

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 cup of room temperature water

¾ teaspoon of salt

Garlic powder

Canola oil (to smooth over plastic wrap covering

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated and the dough starts to come together, take the mixture and place it on your counter. Knead for 5-7 minutes until a smooth ball of dough forms. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for a few hours until the dough is doubled in size.

Roll out the dough to approximately an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle dough with a half of a teaspoon of garlic powder. Cut the rectangle horizontally in half, then each half into 6 strips of dough.

Take each strip and tie it into a knot. Place the garlic knots close together onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover lightly with oil-coated plastic wrap and let rise for an hour.

Bake your garlic knots for about 10-12 minutes until slightly golden brown. Set aside to cool and wait to be dressed up. You can make the garlic knots a day or two in advance.

Butter Mixture for the Garlic Slider Rolls

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoons of fresh parsley

salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

Olive oil, for top

In a pan, melt the butter. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool. Add the salt, pepper, parsley and parm cheese. This will be the buttery glaze for the slider rolls later on at the finish line.

Chicken Parmigiana

Bowl One

Mix ¾ cup of plain breadcrumbs, ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste together.

Bowl Two

Mix ½ cup of flour and salt & pepper to taste

Bowl Three

2 eggs, beaten

12 chicken tenders, uncooked

About 1 cup of canola oil for frying

Shredded mozzarella

Marinara sauce

Bread each chicken tender with flour first, next dip it in the beaten egg and lastly dredge into the breadcrumbs. Set aside your chicken, placing them on a tray or large plate until ready to cook. Repeat these steps until all pieces of chicken are coated.

Over medium high heat, heat the oil until ready to use. Gently place a few of the tenders into the oil. Cook until lightly golden brown making sure that each piece of chicken is cooked through. Place the cooked chicken tenders on paper towels.

Slider Assembly

Take a sharp serrated knife and when your sliders are cool, gently slice the rolls in half length-wise.

Assemble your tray of slider sandwiches, placing on some of the tenders, your favorite marinara sauce and top it with shredded mozzarella. Place the slider lid on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until you see the cheese is melted. You can serve the entire sheet of sliders as one pull-apart sandwich.

Note: This serving style keeps the sliders warm longer.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former prep and line cook for Executive Chef David Crespo at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” in the new Downtown Allentown Market. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.