Description
A hearty, iconic sandwich from New Orleans featuring a round sesame loaf stuffed with a tangy olive salad and layers of Italian cured meats and cheeses.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 large round sesame loaf or muffuletta bread
- 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup giardiniera (pickled vegetables), chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 pound mortadella, thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound ham, thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Prepare the olive salad by combining green olives, black olives, giardiniera, capers, roasted red peppers, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Mix well and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Slice the sesame loaf in half horizontally. Hollow out some of the soft interior from both halves to make room for the fillings.
- Spread a generous layer of the olive salad on the bottom half of the loaf, including some of the marinade for moisture.
- Layer the meats and cheeses on top of the olive salad in this order: mortadella, Genoa salami, ham, provolone, and mozzarella.
- Top with the remaining olive salad, then place the top half of the loaf over the fillings.
- Wrap the assembled muffuletta tightly in plastic wrap and press under a heavy weight (like a skillet) for at least 1 hour to compress and meld flavors. Slice into wedges to serve.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.