Recipe: Muffaletta (New Orleans Olive and Meat Sandwich)

Ingredients

• 1 large (8-inch) round bread loaf
• 1 1/2 cups Cajun or Creole olive salad*
• 8 ounces cured Italian ham thinly sliced (such as mortadella, cappocolla or other salamis or hams)
• 8 ounces Italian cheeses, thinly sliced such as mozzarella, provolone or fontina

Instructions

1. Slice the bread in half horizontally, and remove 1/2-inch of doughy inside bread to make room for the fillings.
2. Spread 1/2 of the olive salad and its oil on the cut edges of the bottom piece of bread. Layer meat and cheese on top of the olive salad. Spread remaining 1/2 of olive salad on top of meats. Place top of bread, cut side down, over bottom half to make a sandwich.
3. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate, weighted down (bricks, a heavy pan or cans work well), 2-6 hours before slicing into wedges.

* If olive salad not available, make your own:

Active Time: 15 minutes (using purchased olive salad)

Refrigeration Time: 2-6 hours

Number of servings (yield): 4

Copyright © Peggy Lampman's dinnerFeed.

Recipe: Olive Salad

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pitted black Mediterranean olives
• 3/4 cup pitted large green olives
• 3/4 cup Giardineira (or substitute with pepperoncini or olives)
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. In a food processor, pulse ingredients together until coarsely chopped. This is a chopped salad and should not be puréed.

Copyright © Peggy Lampman's dinnerFeed.