Crowd-Pleasin’ Muffuletta
A garlic-olive paste is the delicious difference in this unusual make-ahead sandwich.
—JEANNIE YEE FREMONT, CA
PREP: 1 HOUR + CHILLING • MAKES: 12-14 SERVINGS
1 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, finely chopped
1 cup pitted ripe olives, finely chopped
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 round loaf (2 pounds) unsliced Italian bread
1 pound thinly sliced deli turkey
12 ounces thinly sliced part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 16 slices)
1 pound thinly sliced hard salami
1 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; set aside. Cut bread in half horizontally. Carefully hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-in. shell (save removed bread for another use).
2. Spread 1 1/2 cups olive mixture over bottom bread shell. Spread remaining olive mixture over cut side of top bread shell. In bottom bread shell, layer the turkey, half of the cheese, salami, remaining cheese and ham. Replace bread top. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Cut into wedges to serve.