I’m not sure there’s just one way to create a perfect muffuletta, but ever since they were created at Central Grocery in New Orleans, others have certainly been trying. Mother’s Restaurant in the Crescent City certainly has served its share of them and that’s most often where we’ve chowed down on one. These Mini Just Like Mothers Muffulettas pay homage to those.
This is such a great party idea since the smaller muffuletta versions are easily prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until your guests arrive. While they may be heated, they are perfectly delicious served cold as well. An easy way to heat them is to line the crock of a slow cooker with a couple of kitchen towels, then plan the wrapped sandwiches in the slow cooker; cover and set on LOW. For melty goodness, you’ll want to allow a couple of hours to heat through.
The absolutely essential ingredient is the olive salad which is spread on the cut side of both halves of your bread. If your local market has a salad and olive bar, making a homemade version of the olive salad is a really easy task. If not, you can usually find a jar of commercially prepared salad in specialty markets or online.
But you know me. I would always have to add to the store-bought brand with my own “fixins.”
If you can find small sourdough rolls, those will be perfect. If not, choose any small rolls, such as potato rolls. You want them to be about the size of your palm so sometimes I cut them to that size. You can save the bread that is to be discarded for the King Cake Bread Pudding coming to the blog next week. Personally, I prefer those rolls that are not so sweet.
Look for good Italian meats in your market deli such as mortadella, hard or Genoa salami, soppresseta (dry Italian salami) and hot capicola. I also prefer to add Petit Jean hickory smoked peppered ham that has been shaved. My choice for cheeses would include provolone and mozzarella.
- 1 quart large pimiento-stuffed large green olives, drained and coarsely chopped ( I like to get a medley of olives from the deli olive bar.)
- 1 1/2 cups large pitted Greek black olives, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups Zesty Italian salad dressing (I use a locally-made brand I get at our Greek Food Festival.)
- 1 cup pickled cauliflower, drained and coarsely chopped*
- 4 stalks (or more) celery, sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly diagonally*
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini slices.
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red pepper
- 1/3 cup cocktail onions, drained and chopped
- 1/4 cup small capers, drained
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I prefer Aleppo peppers.)
- Kosher salt, if needed
- In a large glass or plastic bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Place in a glass canning jar 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.
- The Olive Salad should be made at least 24 hours before using. Store it in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
- *You can substitute a jar or two of giardinera if you prefer. That's an easy shortcut and it works very well.
- Cut rolls to desired size and then cut in half horizontally.
- Spread each half of the roll with Creole Mustard, optional.
- Spread a layer of olive salad on each half.
- Place a piece of cheese on top of the olive salad on each half: provolone, mozzarella, fontina, Swiss, etc.
- Layer several slices of your chosen meats. I would typically do a couple of layers of: mortadella, soppresseta, capicolla, Genoa salami and Petit Jean Meats shaved ham.
- Press the halves together and wrap securely with plastic wrap.
- The sandwiches are best made several hours or a day or two ahead of time.
- I don’t heat them when served as mini sandwiches, but you certainly could if you prefer. I would always heat a large muffuletta.
- Allow one mini-muffuletta per person.
#letsbreakbread
