Sandwiches

Muffuletta with Olive Relish

Hoagie. Grinder. Submarine. Hero. Wherever you live, whatever you call it, Italian cold cuts and cheese on bread make a sandwich of the utmost excellence. If I had to pick my favorite, it would be New Orleans’s muffuletta. Born a century ago at the Central Grocery, this muffuletta recipe combines the ancient art of Sicilian meat curing with America’s spirit of overkill.

Muffuletta Recipe

Muffuletta with Olive Relish

Recipe Notes

Yield: Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

2 kaiser rolls
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces thinly sliced aged provolone cheese
2 ounces thinly sliced coppa, smoked ham, or tasso
A few paper-thin slices of sweet onion
1/2 cup Olive Relish (see below), or more to taste
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutt
2 ounces thinly sliced soppressata or Italian salami

You'll Also Need

Your basic kitchen gear including 2 pieces (each 12 by 18 inches) of parchment paper or aluminum foil and a large (10- to 12-inch) heavy skillet, plus a grill press, contact grill, or second heavy skillet

Recipe Steps

1: Slice the kaiser rolls almost in half through the side. Brush the outside of the rolls with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place the 2 pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil on a work surface. Place a roll in the center of each piece and open the rolls up like a book. Brush the insides of the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the provolone and coppa on the bottoms of the rolls, dividing them equally between the 2 rolls. Layer the onion, Olive Relish, prosciutto, and soppressata in that order on the top halves of the
rolls. Leave the sandwiches open. Fold the parchment paper or foil over the sandwiches to enclose the filling.

2: If you are cooking the sandwiches in a skillet: Heat the skillet over medium heat. Arrange the wrapped sandwiches in the skillet with the bottoms of the rolls facing up and place a grill press or second heavy skillet on top of them. Cook the sandwiches 3 to 5 minutes; the meats should be sizzling and the cheese melted. Unwrap each sandwich and fold it closed. Place the unwrapped sandwiches back in the skillet, place the grill press or skillet on top of them, and cook the sandwiches until they are browned and crisped, 1 minute.

If you are cooking the sandwiches on a contact grill: Preheat the grill. When the grill is hot, place the wrapped sandwiches in it and cook them until the bread on the bottom starts to brown, the meats are sizzling, and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Unwrap each sandwich and fold it closed. Place the unwrapped sandwiches back in the grill and cook them until they are browned and crisped, and compressed, 1 minute.

3: Cut each sandwich in half and serve at once.

Recipe Tips

Sub recipe: Olive Relish
A generous helping of this big-flavored relish—salty with olives and capers, fiery with hot pepper, tart with vinegar—is what distinguishes the muffuletta from commonplace hoagies or submarine sandwiches. This makes more relish than you need for two muffulettas. The relish is great spooned over just about everything, from grilled swordfish to roast chicken: I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding a use for any leftovers.

1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/2 cup pitted black olives or kalamata olives
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 pickled hot pepper (pepperoncini), coarsely chopped, or ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or more to taste Freshly ground black pepper

Place the green and black olives and the celery, garlic, parsley, capers, hot pepper or pepper flakes, and oregano in a food processor. Running the machine in short bursts, coarsely chop the olive mixture (do not puree it). Add the olive oil and wine vinegar and pulse the machine just to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more wine vinegar as necessary and black pepper to taste. The relish will keep for at least a week, covered and stored in the refrigerator.