Italian Sliders. Peggy Cormary/photos; Carolyn Robb/food styling, for The Washington Post

Twenty years ago this fall, I was a freshman in college. My time was filled with rigorous classes, plenty of studying, probably more extracurriculars than I should have taken on, numerous nights goofing off with my friends, and lots of Subway sandwiches.

I was fortunate in that my alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, offered a variety of delicious food options. But as a young man with a voracious appetite, a now sorely missed youthful metabolism and a set amount of meal points that I had to budget each semester, I was drawn to the sandwich chain for its $5 foot-longs as filling meals that didn’t break the bank. One of my go-tos was its Spicy Italian, which features salami, pepperoni, cheese and my toppings of choice — and serves as inspiration for these Italian Sliders.

My love for Italian sandwiches is largely tied to the cured meats that are all full of savory, fatty, salty, delicious flavor. If given a choice — and without concern for my diet — this is the sandwich filling I will go for 9 times out of 10. It’s a flavor profile I find hard to resist. Pepperoni and salami are two of the most widely available options, but you can also use mortadella, capicola, ham, soppressata or any other favorite deli meat.

With college on the brain, I can’t help but think about all the meals I spent with my classmates, fostering connections that I cherish to this day. In that spirit, I turned my favorite sandwich into sliders, designed to be shared, which would be at home as part of a spread to watch a football game, at a book club meeting or at whatever occasion you have to gather.

To assemble the sliders, I layer the bread with the meats and mild, buttery provolone cheese. Mimicking my order at the fast-food restaurant, the whole thing goes into the oven for just a few minutes to toast the bread and melt the cheese, which introduces new textures to enjoy.

How you choose to adorn your sandwich might vary based on your mood or any number of factors. For these sliders, I opted for pickled banana peppers, either mild or hot; sliced kalamata olives; and a zippy sauce with mayo, dried oregano and red wine vinegar.

But, of course, you can top it however you like. Add your favorite tender greens, such as baby spinach, arugula or shredded iceberg lettuce. Toss in sliced tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion or whatever fresh vegetables sound good to you. Swap out the banana peppers and olives for whatever jars of pickled or brined produce you have kicking around your kitchen. My sauce is meant to be sort of a cross between the oil and vinegar typically drizzled on these types of sandwiches and my preferred condiment, ranch dressing, but you could use either instead, or a simple swipe of mayo or mustard.

However you build it, you’ll end up with a mélange of flavors and textures that I’m certain you’ll love.

Back in the day, I would take down an entire foot-long sandwich on the regular. Now that my appetite has changed — and I try to be more cautious about my sodium intake — I can enjoy all the same flavors I love with just one or two sliders, making them a great option for sharing with others during game nights or casual dinners with family or friends as a main course.

Make a quick spread out of mayonnaise, red wine vinegar and dried oregano to add another layer of flavor. Peggy Cormary/photos; Carolyn Robb/food styling, for The Washington Post

Italian Sliders

4 to 6 servings (makes 12 sliders)

Total time: 15 mins

Cured deli meats, melty provolone cheese, pickled peppers, briny olives and a zippy sauce pack these Italian slider sandwiches with loads of flavor. Put out a platter of these as a party appetizer, or serve them with chips or a salad for a casual meal.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat wrapped in foil in a 375-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 (12-count) package Hawaiian rolls, preferably savory butter flavor

3 ounces deli slices salami (about 8 slices)

3 ounces deli slices pepperoni (about 8 slices)

3 ounces deli slices provolone cheese (about 8 slices)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Generous 1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) mild or hot pickled banana peppers

Generous 1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) sliced kalamata olives

STEPS

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

Using a serrated knife, slice the slab of rolls in half across the equator. (Don’t separate them into individual sliders yet.) Place both slabs on the sheet pan, cut side up. Arrange the slices of salami on the bottom half, covering as much surface area as possible. Follow with the pepperoni and provolone cheese, covering most of the surface and overlapping the slices if necessary. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted on the covered slab and the bread is lightly toasted on the uncovered one.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar and oregano until well combined.

Carefully remove the hot sheet pan from the oven, and scatter the banana peppers and olives evenly over the melted cheese. Evenly spread the mayonnaise mixture over the empty half of the rolls, and place it over the half with the melted cheese, mayonnaise side down. Using a serrated knife, separate the rolls into individual sliders, tracing their edges. Serve hot or warm, family-style.

Substitutions: Hawaiian rolls >> Italian sub rolls, focaccia or your favorite sandwich bread. Salami and pepperoni >> mortadella, capicola, ham, soppressata or other deli meat. Banana peppers and kalamata olives >> roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, giardiniera or other pickled or brined produce. Want to bulk it up? >> Add shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes or your favorite sandwich toppings.

Nutrition per serving (2 sliders), based on 6 | 417 calories, 34g carbohydrates, 63mg cholesterol, 24g fat, 0g fiber, 16g protein, 9g saturated fat, 1045mg sodium, 9g sugar