JONTILLMAN.COM | Part of the problem since 1976

Everyone who visits New Orleans that loves food ends up at Central Grocery (923 Decatur Street, French Quarter) eating a Muffuletta. If you’re like me, you took some home too. The problem is in getting a proper Muff outside of New Orleans, a concern of all of us who are fans of the sandwich but prefer to live above sea-level.

So, this project was born - my attempt to rebuild the muffuletta from the ground up. First we need the Sicilian loaf that forms the basis of the sandwich:

Muffuletta Bread

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
• Cornmeal
• Sesame seeds
• Olive oil

Using your mixer with dough hook, place water, olive oil, sugar, salt, flour, and yeast in the bowl. Beat until smooth. If using your bread machine, select dough setting and press start. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. Form dough into an oval, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes.

After resting, turn dough bottom side up and press to flatten. Form dough into a one-inch high circle and place on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Press sesame seeds into surface of dough and brush with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 30 to 50 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. After rising, bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F. and bake 15 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. (A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.) Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Olive Salad

Now we need the heart and soul of a Muff, the olive salad:

• 2/3 cup pitted and coarsely chopped green olives
• 2/3 cup pitted and coarsely chopped kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup chopped pimiento
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 anchovy fillet, mashed
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and then allow the flavors to mingle for at least 1 hour prior to serving. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.

 Assembly

• 2 ounces salami, thinly sliced
• 2 ounces Italian ham, thinly sliced
• 2 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Cut bread in half crosswise and scoop out about half of the soft dough from top and bottom pieces (this is to provide more room for the sandwich ingredients). Brush the inside bottom of loaf with olive oil or juice from the Olive Salad marinade. Layer salami, Italian ham and Provolone cheese on the bottom piece. Top with as much Olive Salad as will fit without spilling out.

Once your sandwich is assembled, it needs to be pressed and chilled. To recreate this part of the Central Grocery muff, you need to wrap your sandwich in wax paper and pop it in the fridge overnight. Put some leftovers on top of it to press it down and get all the tastes to come together. Enjoy!