Muffuletta (The BA Muffuletta)

By LRay

Bon Appetit, August 2016. page 76.


The BA Muffuletta
There is no better beach or picnic sandwich: It feeds a crowd, gets better as it sits, and is a hearty meal built inside a loaf of bread. About that bread: Unless you live in New Orleans and can get the real thing, opt for a ciabatta or other loaf with a sturdy but not too crusty exterior.

Ingredients

• 5 oil-packed Calabrian chiles or 1 fresh Fresno chile, chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup Castelvetrano or green Cerignola olives, pitted, chopped
• 3/4 cup Picholine or Spanish olives, pitted, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped drained piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers from a jar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped drained capers
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1 large ciabatta loaf or other soft Italian bread
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced hot capocollo
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
• 1/2 pound mozzarella
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced mortadella
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Combine Calabrian chiles, shallot, garlic, both olives, piquillo peppers, oil, capers, vinegar, and oregano in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Do Ahead: Olive salad can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Split bread in half along the equator line. Divide olive salad, including any liquid, between halves. Lay salami on bottom half of bread, followed by capocollo, provolone, mozzarella, mortadella, and prosciutto. Close sandwich and wrap tightly in plastic. Place between 2 baking sheets and weigh down with a heavy pot or two to flatten slightly. Let sit at room temperature, turning over halfway, 1–3 hours before cutting into wedges to serve.