Author Notes
By most accounts the muffaletta was invented at Central Grocery in New Orleans. It has since joined the various Po' Boys as a city staple. The key to it is the olive salad, and it's an outstanding brown-bag (or picnic) choice because the sandwich gets better if made, wrapped tightly in plastic, and allowed to meld for 2 - 4 hours. —Kevin
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Ingredients
- Olive Salad
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1 cup
pimento-stuffed Spanish olives
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1/2 cup
pitted Kalamata olives
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1/2 cup
pitted Sicilian-style green olives
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1/2 cup
giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables)
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1/4 cup
pepperoncini
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1/4 cup
pickled onions
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1/4 cup
olive oil
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1
lg. clove garlic, chopped
-
1
lemon, juiced
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1 tablespoon
capers
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1 tablespoon
minced fresh oregano
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1/4 teaspoon
ground black pepper
- Sandwich
-
1
loaf Italian bread, split in half and cut into quarters*
-
1 cup
olive salad
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1/4 pound
sliced ham
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1/4 pound
sliced mortadella
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1/4 pound
sliced Genoa salami
-
1/4 pound
sliced mozarella
-
1/4 pound
sliced provolone
Directions
- Olive Salad
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Drain all ingredients. Place everything in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Refrigerate overnight.
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Mixture will keep for six months sealed in a glass jar in the refrigerator.
- Sandwich
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Spread olive salad on the bottom of each section of bread. (Note: It must be on the bottom so the bread will absorb the juices.)
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Array one fourth of each remaining ingredient over the salad.
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Place top slice if bread on sandwich.
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For best results, wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and let it meld for a couple of hours or as long as 8 hours.
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*Note: Central Grocery uses a round, rather flat loaf of bread about 8-inches in diameter and sells whole and half sandwiches (although a quarter is perfect for most people). This bread is denser than most Italian bread and I've had a sandwich that was 24 hours old (brought to me by a friend) that was perfect.
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