Muffaletta


	Recipe Source: All-Star Sandwich Bar Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Servings: 2 The name "muffaletta" once referred only to the bread, a chewy round loaf turned out by Italian bakeries. New Orleans grocery stores that sold the bread got the fine idea to slice it horizontally and stuff it, and the muffuletta sandwich was born. It has become a signature dish of The Big Easy, but, like the po boy, has become known nationwide. It depends on good bread and cold cuts, but the soul of a muffaletta is its olive salad. This is the recipe used at the wonderful All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Ingredients: Olive Salad 1 cup rough-chopped green olives 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 1/4 cup finely diced celery 1/4 cup finely diced carrot 2 tablespoons dried oregano 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper. To make the sandwich 1 large loaf of fresh Italian bread (circular loaf preferred) 1/3 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami 1/3 pound thinly sliced ham 1/3 pound mortadella 1/3 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese	Directions: Thoroughly mix all the olive salad ingredients together. This will yield about 1-1/2 cups, enough for 2-3 large loaf sandwiches. To make the sandwich, slice the loaf of bread horizontally and scoop out about half of the soft dough from the top and bottom. Brush the bottom of the loaf with olive oil or juice from the olive salad marinade. Layer on the cold cuts. Top the cold cuts with as much olive salad as will fit without spilling out. Replace top of loaf. Cut into quarters. Serve with root beer. This will serve 2-4 depending on appetite.	Advertisement