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Muffuletta sandwich

Published: 26 Mar 20
Updated: 4 Apr 24

Muffuletta is a classic New Orleans meat, cheese and pickle sandwich. It was created in 1906 at Central Grocery Co on Decatur Street by an Italian immigrant called Salvatore Lupo. It’s a mainstay on the menu at Cochon Butcher and can be served toasted or cold.

Medium
March 2020

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2
Hands-on time 25 min, oven time 5 min (optional), plus 2 days pickling

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 489kcals
Fat: 27.9g (11.2g saturated)
Protein: 26.1g
Carbohydrates: 31.8g (1.5g sugars)
Fibre: 2.4g
Salt: 1.2g

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Ingredients

1 ciabatta loaf (or 1 Sicilian muffuletta if you can get it), cut in half horizontally
2 tbsp Cochon giardiniera (see Know-how and recipe, below)
60g sliced coppa (or any dry-cured ham)
60g sliced mortadella
30g sliced salami
30g sliced provolone cheese (if you can’t find it, use gruyère)

For the cochom giardiniera (makes around 800g)

1 bay leaf
5 tsp black peppercorns
240ml white wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp caster sugar
Large pinch chilli flakes
Large pinch dried oregano
200g cauliflower florets (from about ½ small cauliflower)
2 carrots, cut into 4mm slices
½ small onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, bashed
2 celery sticks, sliced into 1.5cm chunks
50g pepper-stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
25g mild pickled green chillies

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Method

For the giardiniera, toast the bay leaf and peppercorns in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until fragrant, then set aside. Combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, chilli flakes and oregano in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns, then leave to infuse for 5 minutes.
Put the rest of the ingredients in a large container (about 5 litres), then strain the pickling liquid over the vegetables (discard the bay leaf and peppercorns). Cover the container and keep somewhere cool for 2 days before using. When ready to use, strain and discard the liquid, then pulse the pickled veg in a food processor to give a coarse purée (see tip).
Spread each half of bread with giardiniera. On the bottom piece of the bread, lay out the coppa, then the mortadella, followed by the salami. Finish with the provolone, then top with the other half of bread.

If you want your sandwich hot, put it in a 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 oven for about 5 minutes (or serve at room temperature). Slice and serve.

Recipe from March 2020 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 489kcals
Fat: 27.9g (11.2g saturated)
Protein: 26.1g
Carbohydrates: 31.8g (1.5g sugars)
Fibre: 2.4g
Salt: 1.2g

delicious. tips

For a chunkier pickle, chop the giardiniera by hand. You’ll have lots left over to use in sandwiches and burgers or with a plate of cheese. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks in a sterilised jar – find out how to sterilise jars with this easy guide.
You need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead to let the giardiniera (see Know-how) pickle properly.
Giardiniera is a popular, tangy US vegetable pickle that originated in Italy.