Muffuletta Loaf

This sandwich is inspired by the New Orleans Italian sandwich originated by Sicilian immigrants at the Central Grocery Co. in New Orleans around 1900.  

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Muffuletta Loaf ingredients (15)

Makes 15 to 20 servings

Olive Salad
1.5 cups chopped green olives
1 cup chopped black olives in oil
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pimiento
1 tsp dried oregano
5 Tbsp finely-chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Freshly-ground pepper

Sandwich
1 round loaf Italian bread
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 cups thinly-sliced tomatoes
1/4-lb. thinly-sliced sweet Italian salami (mortadella)
1/4-lb. thinly-sliced mozzarella cheese
1/4-lb. thinly-sliced pepperoni

Muffuletta Loaf directions

Prepare Olive Salad
In a medium bowl, combine all of the Olive Salad ingredients. Cover and marinate two to four (2 to 4) hours.


Assemble sandwich  
Slice the bread in half horizontally. Make a well in the bottom half by pulling out most of the soft bread in the center. Leave a 3/4-inch border around the outside to facilitate serving.

Drain the Olive Salad, reserving the marinade. Spoon half the Olive Salad into the hollow of the bottom half of the loaf. 

Build the sandwich on top of the Olive Salad by layering ingredients as follows:

• Shredded lettuce

• Thin tomato slices

• Mortadella

• Mozzarella

• Pepperoni 

• Mound remaining Olive Salad on top

• Cover carefully with the top half of the bread.

Wrap and weight sandwich
Tightly wrap plastic around the sandwich and place it between two flat plates or pans. 

Compress the sandwich by placing several pounds of  weight (e.g. canned goods, bag of sugar) on top. Refrigerate at least six (6) hours.


Serve
Unwrap and cut into small wedges.        


The Junior League of Charleston, Party Receipts from the Charleston Junior League: Hors D'Oeuvres, Savories, Sweets Edited by Linda Glick Conway (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1993), 136.

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Index
Appetizers and Snacks > Room temperature
Sandwiches

Page Last Updated 2 June 2015