Side Dishes

Muffuletta Sandwich
(Serves 4-6)

This is a New Orleans classic, a real "eat over the sink" kind of sandwich. It's fun food for a Friday or Saturday night.

For the Olive Salad:

  • ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup stuffed green olives, chopped
  • ¼ cup cauliflower, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup carrot, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup celery, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • Fresh ground pepper

For the Rest:

  • 1 loaf round Italian bread, 10" diameter
  • 250 g Provolone cheese, sliced
  • 125 g. Capicollo, thinly sliced
  • 125 g. Genoa salami, thinly sliced
  • 125 g. ham, thinly sliced
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • Romaine lettuce

Making It:

  • Combine all the veggies together for the Olive salad.
  • Cut the loaf of bread in half crosswise. Score the inside of both halves about 1" from the crust. Hollow the bread halves by pulling the insides with your hands. Leave shells about 1" thick.
  • Brush insides of bread shells with marinade from Olive salad. Brush most of it on the top half.
  • Spoon salad into bottom half of loaf. Don't spoon too much extra liquid into the shell.
  • Layer some of the cheese over the salad. Top with one type of meat. Repeat.
  • Finish layering with last of cheese and meat. Top with tomato and the top half of the shell.
  • Wrap the muffuletta in a large piece of foil. Place on a sheet pan, and warm it at 400 F for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove foil, add the lettuce on top of tomato, and cut the sandwich into wedges with an electric or sharp serrated knife.
  • Don't press too hard or the filling may come out