Muffaletta Recipe
This Italian-inspired Muffaletta Recipe spreads soft bread with a homemade olive salad then piles up layers of cheese, salami, and ham.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Olive Salad
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup Kalamata black olives
- 2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
- 3 to 4 Piri Piri peppers
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 handfuls giardiniera, or use or crunchy pickled cauliflower
- ⅓ cup pickled pearl onions
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the Sandwich
- 1 large Muffuletta bread, or any other soft Italian bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ pound Mortadella, thinly sliced; divided
- ½ pound Capicola ham, thinly sliced; divided
- ¼ pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
- ¼ pound Sliced Deli ham, thinly sliced
- ⅓ pound Provolone cheese slices
- ⅓ pound Swiss cheese slices
- ¼ pound Prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
Instructions
For the Olive Salad
- In a food processor, combine Castelvetrano olives, Kalamata black olives, capers, Piri Piri peppers, diced shallot, minced garlic, fresh parsley, giardiniera, and pickled pearl onions.
- Pulse the ingredients a few times in the food processor, ensuring that they are chopped to a coarse consistency, maintaining uneven pieces.
- In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil until well combined. Pour the dressing over the pulsed olive mixture. Season the salad with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Gently toss the salad to evenly coat with the dressing.
- Place the olive salad in a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. If time allows, let the flavors meld by refrigerating the salad for at least a day. This step is ideal for marinating and enhancing the flavors. For optimal results, make the salad a day in advance, allowing it to chill and absorb the flavors.
- Before serving, let the salad come to room temperature for a few minutes.
To Assemble
- Cut the muffaletta bread horizontally to create a top and bottom half.
- Hollow out the center of the top half, creating a well. This will allow more space for the olive salad.
- In a skillet or on a griddle, melt the butter. Toast both inner halves of the muffuletta in butter until they achieve a golden brown color. Set aside the upper half of the muffaletta.
- Place the toasted bottom half on a serving platter and layer the components in the following order: 4 tablespoons Olive Salad, Mortadella, Capicola ham, Genoa salami, deli ham, Provolone cheese, Swiss cheese, Prosciutto di Parma, remaining Capicola ham, and remaining Mortadella.
- Spread a generous amount of olive salad into the hollowed-out center of the toasted upper half. Afterward, arrange the olive salad-filled top half over the layers of meat and cheese on the lower half to finish assembling the sandwich.
- Press down gently to press the layers and ensure the sandwich holds together.
- Allow the muffaletta to rest for a few minutes to set.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the muffaletta into individual portions.
Notes
- Meat Choices: This muffaletta is packed with Italian meats for that authentic taste. Feel free to substitute with your favorite deli meats, including options like roast beef or turkey. Remember, the key is thinly sliced meats for the best texture and flavor.
- Olive Salad Prep: For the olive salad, letting it sit overnight enhances the flavors, but if you're short on time, a quick 20-minute rest will still work.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1817mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 340mg | Iron: 2mg
