Recipe: Muffelatta

MUFFELATTA

OLIVE SALAD:
1 cup green olives with pimientos, coarsely chopped
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted coarsely chopped
1 small jar pickled cocktail onions halved
3 anchovies, chopped
3 pimientos in brine, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, snipped
1 pinch of oregano
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar (use balsamic vinegar if available)
SANDWICH:
1 (7-to-9-inch) round loaf Italian bread
3 ripe tomatoes, sliced thin, divided
1/2 head romaine lettuce, finely shredded, divided
1 medium red onion, sliced very thin, divided
4 oz Genoa salami, sliced thin
2 oz prosciutto, sliced thin
2 oz mortadella
2 oz provolone cheese-sliced thin
2 oz fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix the olives, onions, anchovies, pimientos, parsley, oregano, basil, oil, garlic and vinegar together in a small non-corrosive bowl.

Slice the bread in half horizontally and remove the crumbs from each half leaving a one-half inch shell.

On bottom half of the bread shell, spread one half of the olive mixture; arrange on top, half of the tomato, lettuce and onions.

Arrange on top of this all the meats and cheeses, then the remaining tomato, lettuce and onions.

Spoon on the remaining olive mixture and cover with the top bread shell.

Bake sandwich at 400 degrees F on a baking sheet until cheese melts, about 15 minutes; slice into wedges and serve.