Muffalettas

Here's a shout-out to my LSU fans! Geaux Tigers! (A little Tennessee Vol support for the lesser of two "evils") LOL! From the first bite of an official Central Grocery muffaletta, I was totally hooked. When I came home, I had to try my hand at recreating this masterpiece with what was available locally.


Nothing compares to the real thing you’ll get down in N’Awlins, but this is my spin and substitutions for my favorite sandwich. The secret to its goodness is the olive salad you slather on the bread. Until recently, we had a grocery store that carried Boscali’s olive salad. It’s closed down, so now I have to make it myself. This is one requires a little more effort and ingredients to make.

INGREDIENTS

• OLIVE SALAD

• 1 cup chopped green olives stuffed with pimientos (about 25 olives)
• 1 cup pitted and chopped black-ripe olives (about 25 olives)
• 1/2 cup roasted sweet red pepper, chopped (1/2 of a 12 oz. jar)
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 to 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning – optional

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours to marinate. Will keep up to 1 week in refrigerator. (Double this for 2 loaves)
• The ingredients for how it’s traditionally fixed, are below, but living in a small town, I have to make substitutions and what I use is in brackets.
• SANDWICH

• 1 lb. mortadella, thinly sliced (real deli bologna)
• 1 lb. prosciutto, thinly sliced (Virginia baked ham)
• 1 lb. salami, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb. provolone cheese, sliced
• 1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced
• (2) 10" round loaves crusty Italian bread, cut in half horizontally
• Or, I usually have to use (2) long crusty French Bread loaves cut in half

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  PUT IT TOGETHER!
• 2
  Scrape out some of the soft inside of the bread. Without draining, add half of olive mixture, meat, cheese, meat, cheese, meat, and remaining half of olive mixture. Top with other half of bread. Cut into slices you can handle. These can be pretty messy with the olive oil, but it’s worth every spot of grease you have to get out of your clothes!