Muffuletta Sandwich
Italian deli meats and cheeses are layered onto a round of bread with tangy, briny olive salad. This New Orleans Muffuletta is hearty, make-ahead friendly, and great for casual entertaining.
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Olive Salad
- 1 cup giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables) , drained (see Note 1)
- 1 cup pitted, brine-cured mixed olives (I use kalamata and green)
- 1 small shallot , peeled and quartered
- 1 large garlic clove , peeled
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon brined nonpareil capers , drained
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the Muffuletta Sandwich
- 8 to 9 inch round seeded Italian boule (or muffuletta bread, see Note 2)
- ¼ pound provolone , thinly sliced (see Note 3)
- ¼ pound genoa salami , thinly sliced
- ¼ pound mortadella , thinly sliced (we like it with pistachios)
- ¼ pound ham or capicola (hot or sweet, your choice), thinly sliced
- ¼ pound low-moisture mozzarella , thinly sliced
Instructions
Make the Olive Salad
- Add giardiniera, olives, shallot, garlic, parsley, and capers to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5-6 times, until chopped, but still chunky, without huge pieces of giardiniera remaining.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in olive oil, vinegar, and oregano until combined. Cover and let stand at least an hour, or refrigerate overnight. (Bring salad back to room temperature before assembling sandwiches if refrigerating.)
Assemble the Sandwich
- Slice the bread round in half horizontally. If it's very thick or bready, hollow out some of the interior to make room for the fillings.
- Spread each half with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of olive salad, letting the oil and vinegar seep into the bread. (The amount will depend on the size of your round; you might have leftover olive salad.)
- Layer with the sliced meats and cheeses. I like to start and end with the cheeses, with the meats in the middle, while others layer the cheeses between the meats. Top with the second half of the bread spread with olive salad.
- Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap. Weigh the sandwich down with a grill press or a cast-iron skillet, then refrigerate it for at least an hour, preferably 2 to 3 hours. When refrigerating for more than an hour, I like to remove the sandwich from the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off.
- Unwrap the muffuletta and cut it into wedges. We like to serve it with kettle-cooked potato chips, preferably Zapp's.
Notes
1. Giardiniera: Look for it sold in jars in the International aisle at the grocery store, or stocked with pickles and olives. It's also carried in Italian specialty markets.
2. Bread: Traditional muffuletta bread can be difficult to source outside of Louisiana. As an alternative, look for a boule or ciabatta that isn’t overly crusty. Sesame seeds are traditional.
3. Meats and Cheeses: For the best quality, have your meats and cheeses sliced fresh at the deli counter. We like our muffulettas made with 1/4 pound of each of the meats and cheeses, but if you prefer a more substantial sandwich, increase to 1/3 pound each.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.16sandwich (1/6) | Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 2496mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 1mg
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