Sandwich anyone?

When deciding upon a menu we would like to give our guests a good variety and give them something that has the capacity to fill them up.

Some folks go to a sub sandwich shop and buy a 2 or 3 foot long sandwich. Well, you can make something yourself that will outshine anything bought at the store. So, let’s try a Muffuletta.

This satisfying sandwich has its roots in New Orleans. Developed at the turn of the 20th century in the French Quarter, the Muffuletta is renowned for the seasoned chopped olive “salad” that is used as a flavoring spread and is considered the foundation of this heavenly concoction. There are a variety of spellings and I have chosen one of the more common ones.

This recipe should feed 6 to 8 guests, and is quite the robust sandwich.

Muffuletta

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano
10 large pitted green olives, chopped
5 large pitted kalamata olives, chopped
¼ cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped

You can mix all of this together a day ahead and refrigerate. This will save you time on the day of your event and will allow all of the flavors to blend together.

1 lb round loaf of bread, try to find something extra flavorful
4 oz ham, thinly sliced
4 oz mortadella, thinly sliced
4 oz hard salami, thinly sliced
4 oz provolone, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
5 or 6 leaves of romaine lettuce

To make the sandwich:

Cut the bread in half horizontally; pull about half of the bread out of the bottom and out of the top.

Cover the bottom bread piece with one layer of romaine and spread 2/3 of the olive mixture onto the lettuce. Layer all of the meats and cheeses finishing with the last 1/3 of the olive mixture topped with the onions and any lettuce that may be left.

This sandwich can be served warm or at room temperature. To warm place the Muffuletta on a parchment papered baking pan and then into your oven at a pre-heated 300. Give it about 20 to 25 minutes.