Muffuletta Sandwich - The Italian Sandwich of New Orleans

The early Italian immigrants to New Orleans would bring a lunch to work consisting of a Italian Cured Meat Sandwich and a side of Olive Salad. Well the Olive Salad would roll off the plate so they chopped it up and put it in the Sandwich creating the famous Muffuletta! :)

Sicilian (Muffulatta) Bread

3.5 cups Durum Flour
1.75 cups warm water
1-tea Salt
1-tea Dry yeast

Mix:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup flour
1-tea Yeast
Let ferment for 20 minutes

In a bowl or Kitchen aid, mix the yeast mixture and the rest of the ingredients until it is a wet dough.

Knead with a little flour until it is an elastic ball of dough.

Put in a bow with olive oil and let rise until doubled (covered)

Punch down in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge over night. (Called retarding the dough allowing the yeast to rise again slowly to develop the flavor)

Take out the next day, punch down again, knead till it is soft (about a minute) shape into a round flat.

Put on a pizza peel and cover, let it rise again till doubled.

When doubled brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Put on pizza stone at 450 degrees.

Bake 25-35 minutes until it sounds hollow.

NOTE: to make the sesame seeds stick try mixing one egg and brushing on before sprinkling the sesame seeds and then bake.

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Olive salad spread for Muffuletta

(Thus recipe makes a Large amount)

Dice finely
3 cups Green Olives
2 cups Carrots
2 cups Onion
1.5 cups Celery
1.5 cups cauliflower
1.5 cups Peppers
2 Red Peppers roasted
1.5 cups Olive Oil
.5 cups Red Wine Vinegar
Pepper
Oregano
Parsley

Mix it all together and put in the fridge overnight or longer to meld the flavors

Make the sandwich using any favorite Italian cured meat like Ham, Salami, Mortadella, Soppressata.
Layer with Provolone Or Pecorino Cheese
Spread the olive salad on…
Delicious