Muffuletta Cooks Illustrated Recipes

REAL N'AWLINS MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• To Make Olive Salad: In a medium bowl, combine the green olives, kalamata olives, garlic, cauliflower, capers, celery, carrot, pepperoncini, cocktail onions, celery seed, oregano, basil, black pepper, vinegar, olive oil and canola oil. Mix together and transfer mixture into a glass jar (or other nonreactive container). If needed, pour in more oil to cover. Cover jar or container and refrigerate at least overnight.
• To Make Sandwiches: Cut loaves of bread in half horizontally; hollow out some of the excess bread to make room for filling. Spread each piece of bread with equal amounts olive salad, including oil. Layer 'bottom half' of each loaf with 1/2 of the salami, ham, mortadella, mozzarella and Provolone. Replace 'top half' on each loaf and cut sandwich into quarters.
• Serve immediately, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for a few hours; this will allow for the flavors to mingle and the olive salad to soak into the bread.

MUFFULETTAS

Steps:

• Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Gradually blend in the oil. Stir in the olives and roasted peppers. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Cut the top 1-inch of the bread loaf. Set the top aside. Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. Spread some of the olive and roasted pepper mix over the bread bottom and cut side of the bread top. Layer the meats and cheeses in the bread bottom. Top with the onions, then the arugula. Spread the remaining olive and roasted pepper mix on top of the sandwich and carefully cover with the bread top. You can serve the sandwich immediately or you can wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator a day before serving.
• Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• Combine the kalamata olives, green olives, basil, garlic and oil in a food processor or blender and process until coarsely chopped.
• Cut the top from the bread loaf and hollow out the center so that about 1/2 inch of crust remains. Spread olive mixture evenly over the inside of the loaf. Layer the salami, cheese, tomatoes and onion until the loaf is full.
• Replace top of bread, lightly press down and wrap tightly in plastic wrapping. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. Slice crosswise in about 1 1/2 inch pieces, and serve.

MUFFULETTA (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• For the olive salad, mix everything together. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
• To make the sandwich: Drain olive salad, saving the marinade. Cut the bread in half horizontally and remove most of the soft interior. Brush both inside pieces of the bread with the reserved marinade.
• Place half of the olive salad in the bottom half of the hollowed-out bread. Top it with the cold cuts. Put on the rest of the olive salad. Put top half of bread on top of it all.
• Wrap in plastic wrap. Put it between two dinner plates. (It might work best to turn the top plate upside down, depending on if the plates have any curvature to them or not.) Put 2 or 3 heavy cans on top of it to work as weights. (Mufuletta is pressed-down sandwich). Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
• To serve, unwrap and cut into wedges.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 14 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. , Cut bread in half horizontally; carefully hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Spoon half the olive mixture over bottom half of bread. Layer with salami, ham, mortadella, Swiss and provolone; top with remaining olive mixture. Replace bread top. Wrap tightly. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into 8 wedges.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• For the tapenade: Combine the olives, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is chopped but not pureed. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the sandwich: Spread some tapenade on both sides of the buns. Build each sandwich as follows: 2 ounces of mortadella, 2 ounces of salami, 1 ounce of chopped giardiniera, 2 ounces ham, 1 ounce of provolone, 1 lettuce leaf, 2 slices of tomato and top with the other half of the bun.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and minced garlic. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
• Place the olives, giardiniera, shallot and oregano in your food processor. Pulse a few times until coarsely chopped.
• Transfer the olive mixture to a bowl. Add half of the garlic oil and vinegar. Stir until throughly mixed.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. For best results, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight (or up to a week).
• Split the bread in half and brush each cut side with the remaining garlic oil.
• Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, and toast the bread directly in the pan until crisp and golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.
• Place the bottom part of the bread, cut side up, on a cutting board. Spread half of the olive salad, making sure to include the juices.
• Layer all the Genoa salami, followed by all the ham. Then, layer the provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, mortadella, prosciutto and soppressata. Finish with the remaining olive salad.
• Close the sandwich and wrap it tightly - two or three times - with plastic wrap.
• Place the muffuletta top side up on a cutting board and put something heavy (like a big book or a heavy pot) on top of it, to compress it. Let it rest for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn the sandwich upside down and continue compressing for another hour.
• Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.