Giant sandwich vies for world record

BARI, Italy (Reuters) - A southern Italian town is hoping to set a world record with the creation of a 700 metre- (2,300 ft-) long meat and salami sandwich.


Bakers and construction workers in the southern Puglia hilltop town of Mottola baked, stuffed and then cut a 1,500 kilogram (3,307 lb) submarine sandwich into 19,000 pieces.


Some 50 construction workers with cranes were needed to pass the lengthy loaf of bread on a conveyor through a massive oven, which cooked it in sections, before it was stuffed with 300 kilograms of mortadella and 200 kilograms of salami and laid out in the streets.


Seven workers from the local "Catucci" bakery worked together for almost 24 hours to beat the previous Italian record set in the northern city of Milan with a 347-metre sandwich that was filled with Nutella chocolate spread.


"The mega-sandwich required up to 800 kilograms of flour, 400 litres of water and 200 kilograms of salt," said Pietro Catucci, 40, the creator of the competition.


"It expanded thanks to our work and to natural warmth from the summer sun. That was the additional challenge," he told Reuters.


A notary documented the making of the sandwich in hopes the effort will be recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records.


After the required measurements, portions of the giant sub were sold and the proceeds given to charity.