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NEW
ORLEANS MUFFULETTA from Cuisine online |
History and Background
A specialty of New Orleans, this sandwich originated in 1906 at the Central
Grocery, which some say has been ruined by publicity. Better muffulettas are
created two doors down at the Progress grocery, or for atmosphere, at the nearby
Napoleon House. It can be found from Lafayette through Baton Rouge and the Mississippi
Gulf Coast. It could be made anywhere that you can get a good ten-inch round
loaf of Italian bread.
The sandwich consists of the round loaf of crusty Italian bread, split and filled
with layers of sliced Provolone, Genoa salami and Cappicola ham, topped with
Olive Salad, a chopped mixture of green, unstuffed olives, pimientos, celery,
garlic, cocktail onions, capers, oregano, parsley, olive oil, red-wine vinegar,
salt and pepper.
(The Epicurious Dictionary)
MUFFULETTA SANDWICH
(Serves 4)
For Olive Salad, Combine:
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1/4 cup cauliflower, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 t. garlic, minced
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
Hollow Out:
1 loaf round Italian bread, 10" diameter
Layer with Olive Salad and:
6 oz. provolone cheese, sliced
2 oz. capicollo, thinly sliced
2 oz. Genoa salami, thinly sliced
2 oz. ham, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced
Romaine lettuce
This New Orleans classic is a real "eat over the sink" kind of a sandwich.
Between the chewy bread, salty meats, and tangy olive salad, you’ll be
hooked from the first bite. It’s these three things that make this sandwich
what it is.
The Bread: Muffuletta is actually a Sicilian word for a special round loaf of bread, baked so that the center is hollow and can be stuffed. Since a real one is hard to find in the U.S., muffulettas are usually made with a round Italian loaf you hollow out yourself.
You’ll find all kinds of round loaves of bread from regular grocery stores and bakeries: freshly baked, “brown-and-serve,” focaccia. None of them are alike, but all work great.
Just look for a loaf that is round, about 10 inches in diameter, with a fairly thick crust. The crust is important because it has to be able to soak up the olive salad marinade without turning mushy.
The Olive Salad: The olive salad is what sets muffulettas apart from most other sandwiches. It beats the britches off mustard or mayo with three distinct ingredients: green and black olives, and chopped vegetables.
Use regular pimiento-stuffed green olives for their color. But for the black olives, use Kalamatas for their taste. Plain black ones are bland. Chopped vegetables add color and crunch.
The Meats: Traditional Italian cured meats are the best for this sandwich. I found Genoa salami and capicollo at my supermarket’s deli.
Don’t worry if you can’t find the meats I’ve suggested, though. Just go to the deli of your supermarket and pick out three meats you like--get a salami and a ham, at least. Be sure to have them shave the meats real thin, too, so you can fold them over to make your sandwich nice and high.
Making the Muffuletta
Finely chop the vegetables and olives for the Olive Salad. You want a nice, uniform look. Combine all salad ingredients; set aside.
Cut the loaf of bread in half crosswise. Use a small, serrated knife to score the inside of both halves about 1" in from the crust.
Hollow the bread halves by pulling
out the insides with your hands. Leave shells about 1" thick. Save the
bread chunks for other uses.
Brush insides of bread shells with marinade from Olive Salad. Brush most of
it in the top half, since you’ll put the salad in the bottom half.
Spoon salad into bottom half of loaf. Since you’ve brushed it with marinade, don’t spoon too much extra liquid into the shell.
Layer 2 oz. cheese over the salad.
If you heat the sandwich, the melted cheese will hold the salad in place. Top
with one type of meat; repeat.
Finish layering with last of cheese and meat. Top with tomato and lettuce. If
you heat the sandwich, put the lettuce on after it’s warm.
Use an electric knife to cut the
sandwich into four wedges. If you don’t have one, use a very sharp serrated
knife. Just saw carefully and don’t press too hard--or you might squish
all the filling out.
Some Like It Hot
Muffulettas can be served hot or cold. I like to heat mine up because the melted cheese helps hold everything together. Since this sandwich is so high and the olive salad is a little loose, you could lose a few fillings when you take a bite.
To heat, wrap the uncut muffuletta in a large piece of foil. Place the wrapped sandwich on a sheet pan and warm it in a 400-degree oven for 25–30 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Carefully remove the foil, add lettuce, and cut the sandwich into wedges.
MUFFULETTA SANDWICH (2)
1 loaf Muffuletta Bread
2 oz. salami, thinly sliced (Genoa preferred)
2 oz. Italian ham, thinly sliced (Cappicola preferred)
2 oz. Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup Olive Salad
(Olive Salad takes only fifteen minutes,
using a food processor. It is scaled to use the standard 44 ounce jar of olives,
which is also a handy place to store the finished product. It can be used it
for lots of other things -- in tossed green salads and as a dressing in many
sandwiches. Try it with diced ham in pita pockets! Olive salad does wonders
for home made pizza... do this once, and you may never buy prepared pizza again!)
Cut bread in half crosswise. Spread each half with Olive Salad. Pile on several
layers of salami, ham, and cheese. Press down slightly. Cut sandwich in quarters.
Makes 1 to 4 servings, depending on the appetite!
Olive Salad
1 (44-oz) jar olives stuffed with pimentos, drained
3-1/2 tablespoons brine from olives
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 ( 8 oz) jar marinated cocktail onions, drained
4 celery stalks, halved lengthwise, sliced thin
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Drain olives, reserving 3-1/2 tablespoons brine. In a food processor, use pulse
button to chop olives, a cup at a time, and place in large mixing bowl. Strain
and chop cocktail onions in processor. Split celery stalks, use processor's
slicing blade, and finish end pieces by hand. Mince garlic cloves. Drain capers.
Add onions, celery, garlic, and capers to the large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk reserved olive brine, oregano, pepper and vinegar until
combined. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour
dressing over salad; toss. Spoon into the empty olive jar, seal lid. Store in
refrigerator. Makes about 6-1/2 cups.
Muffuletta Bread
You can't create a Muffuletta sandwich on sliced bread -- the Olive Salad is
too juicy and will make a soggy mess. In a pinch, you can use French bread or
sub loaf, not bad if you want to make bite size snacks for a party. But you
MUST have authentic Muffuletta Bread to appreciate the full experience. If you
don't live in New Orleans, where you can buy it at most any corner grocery,
use this bread machine version -- it's easy!
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 cups bread flour
1 pkg. (1-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
Sesame seeds
Place all ingredients except sesame seeds in the bread machine's pan. Use the
dough setting. When finished, form into a one inch high circle on a lightly
floured surface, and place on a lightly oiled foil square. Press sesame seeds
into surface and brush with oil. Cover with damp paper towel and allow to rise.
Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 425F (22OC). Remove paper towel.
Bake loaf on the foil square in center of preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce
heat to 375F (190C) and bake for another 25 minutes. The loaf is done when it
sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.