Having a dad that was born and raised in New Orleans exposes you to some great food. When I was little, dad would talk about something called a Muffuletta sandwich. I wasn’t sure what it was but that word sounded wonderful! I guess he never made it because we were living in Korea at the time, and back in the ‘70’s and 80’s the grocery stores they had didn’t have quite the right stuff to make one.

 

So when I grew up into a big boy and became rich enough to buy my own bread I set out to solve the mystery of what a Muffuletta was. At the time I was dating Angie and was looking to score some cool points. So I put together my own version of a Muffuletta, wrapped it in aluminum foil and took her on a picnic. As it turns out I scored the cool points and advanced to the next level. High score achieved!

It’s basically a huge sandwich served in a round French bread and cut into individual servings. Perfect for a family picnic, summer small gathering, or leaving on a picnic table near a Labrador retriever while your back is turned. I went for a spicy Italian theme, but fill it with whatever meats, cheeses, or veggies you like. I’m definitely not a condiment guy, so you won’t find mayonnaise (sorry, I get sick just typing that word) or other squirty stuff in my recipe but if that’s your thing then go for it!

 

Prep Time: 15 min

Assembly Time: 5 min

Total Time: 20 min

INGREDIENTS

French round bread, about 9” diameter

Italian dressing

1/2 lb Black Forest ham

1/2 lb Salami

1/2 lb Pepperoni

1/2 lb Capicola

1/2 lb Provolone

1/2 lb Swiss cheese

1 English cucumber, chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

 

RECIPE

Slice the top third off of the bread and scoop out the insides, leaving the crust intact. The bread you’ve scooped out from the inside can be used to make croutons for a salad, invite a congregation over and use to serve Communion, or just put it in the bird feeder if you’re lazy. Whatever you do, don’t throw it away!

Using a basting brush, spread just enough Italian dressing to coat the inside of both parts of the bread. Don’t soak it. A light spread will do and will keep leftovers from getting soggy.

 

Lay a layer of ham inside the bread, then a layer of salami, capicola, pepperoni, provolone, and swiss cheese. Spread another layer of dressing over the cheese, then spread a layer of the chopped tomatoes followed by a layer of chopped cucumbers. Then repeat the layering, starting again with the meats and cheese, followed by the dressing and tomatoes and cucumbers. Repeat for a third layer, checking to make sure it will all fit once the top piece of the bread is put back in place. When I did it I only got the meat and cheeses in. You might want to apply light pressure to make sure it’s compact and there aren’t any voids.

Slice the sandwich into 6 wedge shaped individual sandwiches and serve.