Chef Maurizio Morelli, who heads the kitchen at new Italian venture Margot, opening in October 2016 in Covent Garden, says there should be no tampering with the Club Sandwich recipe

I still remember tasting my first Club Sandwich. It was in the Hassler hotel in Rome. But my favourite was one I ate at the Baglioni hotel in Bologna, Italy, when I was there for a weekend break. It was perfect. Not just the taste, but also the presentation.

The Club Sandwich is the signature dish of many luxury hotel bars around the world, even if they don’t want it to be. Chefs take it very seriously. And rightly so. Many people judge the reputation of the hotel bars on the quality of their Club Sandwich. Over the years it has become a must-have bar menu classic.

For me, the best recipe is the classic version with basil pesto for an Italian twist. And it’s impossible to make a good Club Sandwich if the ingredients are not of the highest quality: the tomatoes need to be perfectly ripe, the chicken breast cooked so it is succulent and not dry, and the bread toasted properly.

And most importantly of all, it needs to be served no more than a few minutes after it’s been made, so it doesn’t get too moist.

Maurizio’s Club Sandwich (makes one sandwich)

3 slices of white bread 

100g basil pesto (made with 50g basil leaves; 50g pine kernels; 50g Parmigiano Reggiano; 50g extra-virgin olive oil)

1 ripe beef tomato, sliced

2 boiled eggs, sliced

4 slices of unsmoked bacon, crisply fried

1 chicken breast, poached and sliced 

4 leaves of baby lettuce

Method

1. Toast three slices of white bread on both sides and spread with the freshly made pesto.

2. Cover one slice of bread with a thin slice of seasoned beef tomato, sliced boiled eggs, and strips of hot, crunchy unsmoked bacon.

3. Cover with the second slice of bread.

4. Add some thin slices of poached cold chicken breast and baby lettuce.

5. Cover with the third slice of bread and cut in half.

6. I like to serve it with fried colourful parsnip, beetroot and red potato, and some giant green olives on the side.

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This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Opinion