Best Miss Rachaels Muffuletta Recipes

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the oil, the carrot, celery, cauliflower, oregano, thyme and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are somewhat tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a small bowl and stir in the olives, pimento and salt. Set aside to cool.
• When the olive-vegetable salad has cooled, stir in the parsley.
• Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Using your hands, scoop out the inside of each bread half to make a shallow pocket. Brush the inside of the top half with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Fill the bottom bread half with the olive-vegetable salad and pack it down with your hands. Layer the provolone, mortadella and soppressata over the salad (without letting any hang over the sides).
• Cover with the top bread half and tightly wrap the sandwich with plastic wrap. Place the sandwich on a cutting board or baking sheet and weigh it down with a heavy object, such as a cast-iron skillet, for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
• Remove the plastic wrap and cut the sandwich into fourths or sixths. Serve.

KICKED-UP NEW ORLEANS MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread the cut sides of each half of bread with equal amounts of the olive salad and oil, about 1 1/2 cups per side. Arrange the mozzarella over the olive salad on the bottom piece of bread and top with the salami, cappocolo, mortadella, and pepperoni. Arrange the provolone on the top piece of bread, completely covering the olive salad, and place on top of the bottom half to make a sandwich.
• Tightly wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and bake until sandwich is heated through and cheeses have melted, 15 to 20 minutes.
• To serve, unwrap the sandwich and slice into portions.
• Combine all ingredients in a large nonreactive bowl and mix well. Place in a nonreactive jar (preferably glass) and store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Salad should be made at least 24 hours before using and only improves with age, can keep for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 14 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. , Cut bread in half horizontally; carefully hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Spoon half the olive mixture over bottom half of bread. Layer with salami, ham, mortadella, Swiss and provolone; top with remaining olive mixture. Replace bread top. Wrap tightly. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into 8 wedges.