I’ve been in a New Orleans mood since my last trip to the Big Easy. I love the city’s rich, layered history, live music, European architecture, and—above all—the food. Last week I reshared my blonde gumbo and bread pudding recipes, and this week I wanted to share one of my favorite weekend sandwiches: the Muffuletta (muff-fuh-LEHT-tuh or moo-foo-LE-ta).
I have a bit of a soft spot for a well-made sandwich. A great sandwich ranks high on my list, right up there with fried chicken and cheeseburgers.
The Muffuletta is a Sicilian-style sandwich built on a round loaf and layered with Italian salami, ham, Provolone, and a tangy olive salad. Although strongly associated with New Orleans, its roots are Sicilian, brought to the city by immigrants in the early 20th century.
The sandwich is said to have been created at Central Grocery on Decatur Street in New Orleans in 1906 by Italian immigrant shop owner Lupo Salvatore. Nearby farmers—many of Sicilian origin—would buy ingredients and eat separately: salami, ham, cheese, olive salad and bread. To make lunch easier and more portable for those working farmers, Salvatore suggested placing everything inside a round loaf. The convenient, flavorful result quickly became known simply as a “Muffuletta.”
The Muffuletta
Ingredients
- 1 round loaf Italian-style bread, 8–10 inches in diameter (smaller 6-inch loaves work well for appetizers)
- Olive Salad (recipe below)
- Oil from the olive salad (for brushing)
- 2–4 ounces thinly sliced salami
- 2–4 ounces thinly sliced Italian ham
- 2–4 ounces thinly sliced Provolone cheese
Olive Salad
- 2/3 cup pitted, diced green olives (Queen or Manzanilla)
- 2/3 cup pitted, diced Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup chopped pimiento
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Make the Olive Salad first. In a medium bowl combine all olive salad ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry. The olive salad is the defining element of a muffuletta—potent, briny, and herby. If you’re not normally an olive fan, give this a try anyway; the salad melds with the meats and cheese to create a surprisingly balanced bite.
Cut the round loaf in half horizontally to form a top and bottom. Scoop a small hollow from the cut sides—this creates space to hold the olive salad without making the sandwich too dense. Brush the cut surfaces with some of the olive salad oil to add flavor and help keep the bread from becoming soggy.
On the bottom half, layer salami, ham, and Provolone. Spoon or mound the olive salad into the hollow on the top half of the loaf, then close the sandwich and press down gently so the layers settle and the flavors combine.
Many prefer a muffuletta served at room temperature so the flavors are pronounced. I like mine with the cheese slightly melted: wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–30 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese loosens. Slice into quarters and serve.
Leftovers refrigerate well—store wrapped to preserve the bread and flavors, then bring back to room temperature before serving, or reheat wrapped in foil if you prefer the cheese warmed.
Makes 1 sandwich (serves 1–4 depending on appetite or loaf size).
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If you try this Muffuletta, I’d love to see how it turned out—share a photo and tag @southerndiscourse.
Sources:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Sandwiches/Muffuletta.htm
http://emerils.com/121389/muffaletta
See the original muffuletta recipe and other southern recipes for inspiration.
