Italian-inspired Muffaletta Sandwich

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Italian-inspired Muffaletta Sandwich

Created in the heart of New Orleans, this Italian-inspired Muffaletta Sandwich is a meatlover's dream-come-true! It takes a little bit of preparation, but the end-result is really breathtaking and delicious. The best part is that it feeds the masses! Of all my panini recipes, this one is by far the largest and most complex, but it is definitely worth the effort!

Serves about 6

Ingredients for the Olive Salad

2/3 cup Kalamata or Liguria black olives, pitted, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup Manzanilla or Sicilian green olives, pitted, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup Gaeta olives, pitted, coarsely chopped (optional)

1/4 cup pimiento (or roasted red peppers), chopped

1 small white onion, finely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

dash of salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Combine all of these ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Let this rest for 12 - 24 hours before using on your sandwich.

Ingredients for the Sandwich

1 loaf of crusty Italian bread (preferably round)

1/3 lb hard salami, thinly sliced

1/3 lb prosciutto ham, thinly sliced

1/4 lb mortadella bologna, thinly sliced

1/3 lb provolone cheese, thinly sliced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the sandwich, first cut the loaf of bread in half length-wise. Then using your fingers, scoop out about 1/2 inch of the soft insides to make a little vessel to hold all of your ingredients. You can also scoop out a little bit of the top as well, so it rests nicely in place.

Start by drizzling your bread with the olive oil. Or use a pastry brush to apply the oil evenly.

Then begin by layering on your meats and cheese. You can add them one at a time until they are done, or you can choose to alternate the layers on top of each other.

Lastly, scoop on your olive salad. This should be a nice thick layer, almost an inch thick. Replace the top of the loaf and smush down.

At this point I would recommend allowing the Muffaletta sandwich to rest for a while before serving it. The best thing to do is wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 2 hours or up to overnight. This technique makes it easier to slice up the monster sandwich without it falling apart, plus it gives the flavors ample time to marinate together and be even more delicious.

When you are ready to serve the panini, use a long serrated knife to cut big triangular wedges out of the loaf. If you are using a long loaf of Italian bread, slice it up much as you would a sub.

Serve with some crunchy homemade potato chips and enjoy!

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