In our house, growing up,  the #1 sandwich was a right made Italian hoagie.  The right cheese, the right meat the right vegetables and the right bun with dressing made this a staple in the home.  But I hate to tell my dad that the Muffuletta is making its way up the ladder.    Some of the Carei kids even hail it the best.  The Muffuletta sandwich is a famous and flavorful Italian-American sandwich that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Its history dates back to the early 20th century and is closely associated with the Italian immigrant community in the city.  

The muffuletta is from a family of sandwiches that I like to call the working man’s sandwich buffet.  These were sandwiches that where designed to be eaten anywhere without utensil and contained enough ingredients that could be broken down into a full meal.  Usually the choice of hardworking blue-collar workers of the early part of the 20th century. These usually contained vegetables, meats, bread and possibly some other food items thrown in the mix.   These were sandwiches that could be eaten with one hand and quickly if needed, but contained enough ingredients that it covered the food pyramid or plate in nutritional terms.  These were usually invented in the early part of the 20th century and include the hoagie(Philadelphia) also known as the submarine(Connecticut), grinder(Massachusetts), hero(New York or wedge from the northeast; basically topped with a salad, Pittsburgh’s Primanti sandwiches; topped with fries and Cole slaw, the Cuban; from the south with lunch meat, roasted meats and pickles, and a close relative the burritos from the south west: not necessarily a sandwich but filled with many ingredients and hand held.  

The Muffuletta sandwich’s roots can be traced to Central Grocery, a Sicilian-owned grocery store in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The sandwich was created in 1906 by Salvatore Lupo, the store’s founder, to cater to the workers at the nearby wharfs. As they were limited with their lunch time, they were looking for something filling that could be eaten with their hands.  He combined various Italian meats, cheeses, and olive salad to create a hearty and portable meal.

The Muffuletta sandwich is traditionally made using a large, round, and dense Italian bread loaf known as “Muffuletta” bread. The bread is similar to a ciabatta or focaccia. The sandwich typically includes the following ingredients:

Italian Cured Meats: Layers of Italian deli meats including  Genoa salami, capicola, and mortadella,  Some like to add sopprasetta

Cheese: Provolone cheese is commonly used, although other Italian cheeses like mozzarella may also be added. Imported provolone or provolone piccante will be sharper and add more flavor to sandwich.

Olive Salad: Without this you do not have muffaletta.  It is the signature component of the Muffuletta is the olive salad. This olive salad provides a tangy, briny, and aromatic flavor that complements the meats and cheeses.  Plus, your putting a salad on your sandwich. 

Muffuletta Olive Salad

Make 2 days to a week ahead of time. 

2 cup green olives with pimento

1 cup kalamata olives

1 cup gardiniera

Tablespoon capers

3 clove garlic minced

1/2 cup chopped pepperoncini

Celery stalk halved and chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

Tablespoon parsley chopped(tsp. Dried)

Tablespoon Oregano Chopped(tsp dried)

Fresh ground pepper

2 Tsp dijon Mustard(optional)

Best way to prepare is in a food processor.  Place all ingredients in and Pulse until coarsely chopped.  Otherwise coarsely chop all vegetables.   Make a vinaigrette with oil, vinegar and herbs. Combine vinaigrette and vegetables.  Adjust flavor with pepper.  Put in jar or container and put in fridge for a couple of days to a week.  

Muffuletta bread Recipe 

Make day before or day of sandwich making

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoon olive oil+ tsp for bowl. 

Packet of yeast or 2 tsp. 

2 cups hi-gluten(bread flour)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

In mixing bowl combine water, sugar, oil, yeast and let sit 5 minutes.  Add flours and salt.  Mix with hook for 8 minutes.  Adjust with flour if too sticky, should be a little sticky.  Turn out dough forming into ball and clean bowl then brush with oil.  Place dough in bowl then flip around.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap or damp towel.  Allow to double in size(1-1/2 hours).  Turn out dough and knead a couple of minutes and divide in two.  Form into balls and flatten a little into a disc.  Place on baking sheet and cover with towel and let rise 1- 1 1/2 hours.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Bake loaves for 25-30 minute until browned.  Cool completely before making sandwich.  

Assemble 

To assemble the Muffuletta sandwich, the bread is horizontally sliced, and the olive salad is spread generously on bottom. The meats(1/4 pound each cappicola, salami, mortadella and sopprasetta plus the cheese(1/3 pound provolone) are layered on top of the bottom half, and then more olives salad is placed on the meat and cheese, then the other half of loaf is placed on top. Wrapped the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and let sit and hour.  Then slice in quarters, sixths or eighth.   The sandwich is usually quite large.  

The Muffuletta has become an iconic sandwich in New Orleans and in our household.  Try it and it may become your families iconic sandwich.