Chopped Cheese

Many people who have visited bodegas in certain areas of New York City are familiar with the renowned sandwich known as chopped cheese. It's a full portable meal with seasoned ground beef and American cheese on a hoagie bread with toppings. Chopped cheese is easy to replicate at home and will immediately win your loyalty.

Ingredients :

• 2 pounds (80/20 blend) ground beef

• 1 white onion, chopped

• 4 clove garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 6 hoagie or bolillo rolls

• 12 slices American cheese

• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise

• Shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

• Tomato slices, for serving

STEPS :

     1. Cook the ground beef :

Over medium-low heat, add your ground beef to a sizable, dry saucepan or skillet. Cook at a low heat so the fat renders out. As the beef cooks, stir frequently to break it up so that it becomes crumbly but not completely cooked (some of the meat will still be pink).

     2. Add the onions, garlic, and seasoning :

Turn the heat to medium-high and add the onions and garlic when the meat has been browned and most of the fat has drained off (approximately 7-8 minutes of cooking). Cook the vegetables for a further 4-5 minutes, until they soften. Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper are used to season the filling. Get rid of the heat.

     3. Toast the buns : 

Rolls should be cut in half, then fried in batches on a griddle or in a big skillet over medium heat.

     4. Combine the cheese and ground beef :

Approximately 1/6 of the beef filling should be portioned out for each sandwich and added to the griddle or skillet over low heat. Add two pieces of American cheese after the filling has heated up. Give it ample time to sit so that the cheese melts. If you'd like, use the side of a metal spatula to coarsely "chop" the cheese into the meat mixture.

     5. Place the roll on the ground beef :

Cover the beef filling with a toasted roll by placing the roll, toasted side down, on top of the ground beef mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of mayo on one side of the sandwich.

     6. Finish the sandwich and serve : 

Using a spatula, flip the roll over after 30 seconds while preserving the filling inside. Use the spatula to add any filling that escapes back into the roll. Repeat as necessary to create additional sandwiches.

Add sliced tomato and lettuce to the sandwich.

Serve right away after slicing in half.

For three to four days, leftover chopped cheese filling can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. On make a sandwich, simply transfer the filling straight from the refrigerator to a griddle.

Make only as many sandwiches as you need, although it's excellent if you have extra filling!