East Coast Muffuletta

By á-4084

Ingredients

• 1 small fennel bulb
• 1/2 medium Red Onion
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
• 1 loaf Crusty Italian bread
• .67 c. kalamata olive tapenade
• 4 oz. thinly sliced mortadella
• 4 oz. thinly sliced fontina cheese
• 4 oz. thinly sliced sopressata or Genoa salami
• 1 jar marinated roasted yellow and red peppers with garlic
• 1 c. baby arugula leaves
• 1 medium tomato
• 4 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
• 2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

Details

Adapted from womansday.com

Preparation

Step 1

Toss fennel, red onion, half of the lemon juice and olive oil, and half of the salt mixture in a small bowl until combined; marinate 10 minutes.
Halve bread horizontally, using a serrated knife. Starting 1/2 inch from edges, remove about 1 inch soft bread from center of each half, making hollows for filling. Spread tapenade evenly inside the hollows.
Over bottom half of bread, layer fennel mixture, mortadella, fontina cheese, sopressata, and yellow peppers. Toss arugula with the remaining lemon juice, olive oil, and salt mixture, and place on top of yellow peppers; add tomato slices, provolone cheese, and prosciutto slices, ending with red peppers.
Replace the bread top. Wrap loaf tightly with plastic wrap, then with heavy-duty foil. Place loaf on a plate and top with a heavy pot lid. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, unwrap and cut into 8 wedges.