12883 Serves 8 Wed Aug 06 08:09:43 -0700 2008 Sat Feb 07 07:33:20 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12883 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:33:20 GMT This dish is derived from the famous muffuletta sandwich, an excellent example of Italian-Sicilian influence on the cuisine of Louisiana, especially in New Orleans. Signor Lupo Salvadore created the muffuletta in 1906 at the Central Grocery on Decatur Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Accounts differ as to the origin of the name of the sandwich, with some suggesting that it was named after a preferred customer, others that it was named for the baker who created the bread on which it is made. The correct pronunciation of the name is “muff-foo-LET-ta.” The essential ingredients for this sandwich are the bread and the olive salad. The bread is a round, ten-inch sesame-studded loaf. The original olive salad at the Central Grocery is a closely guarded secret, said to have some forty ingredients, unlike the dozen or so here, but Central Grocery now sells the salad in jars, available by mail order. The salad will keep for months in the refrigerator and is excellent as a condiment, a salad ingredient, or used in other sandwiches and dishes.

]]>

For the dough, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups [480 mL] of the flour and allow to stand 5 minutes.

Add ⅓ cup [80 mL] of the oil and another 2 cups [480 mL] of flour and mix to form a smooth batter. Add the salt and continue to add flour until the dough starts to stick to the paddle and the sides of the bowl. The dough will form strands that tear as the paddle rotates in the bowl.

Remove the paddle, install the dough hook, and start the mixer at the lowest speed; adjust the speed as necessary. Add flour, a little at a time, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Continue to knead for 5 minutes.

Place the ball of dough in a bowl lightly coated with olive oil. Brush the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover with plastic film and place in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in volume. (The dough may also be placed in an oiled resealable bag and allowed to rise, refrigerated, overnight.)

Mix all of the ingredients for the olive salad together in a large bowl. Spoon into sterilized jars and top with the remaining liquid. Allow to marinate at least 24 hours, refrigerated, turning occasionally. (The salad will keep for months refrigerated.)

Turn out the dough on a floured surface, punch the dough down, and knead for 1 minute. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.

Stretch a piece of dough to cover the bottom of a 6-inch [15-cm] pizza pan that has been brushed with olive oil. The dough may be patted, tossed in the air and spun, or rolled out with a rolling pin.

Top each pizza with 1 ounce [30 g] of the mozzarella cheese. Add 1-ounce [30-g] portions of mortadella, cappicola, and salami. Spoon over ¼ cup [60 mL] olive salad and top with 1 ounce [30 g] of the provolone cheese.

Bake at 450°F [230°C] for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is golden. The edge of the dough may be brushed with water and sprinkled with sesame seeds, if desired, before baking.

Serves individual pizzas, quartered; garnished with olives and parsley sprigs.

]]> http://www.chow.com Arthur L. Meyer 50 Main 1 tablespoon [15 mL] active dry yeast

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] sugar

]]> 2 cups [480 mL] warm water (105° to 110°F [40° to 45°C])

]]> 4 to 6 cups [960 mL to 1.4 L] bread flour, as needed

]]> ⅓ cup [80 mL] olive oil, or more as needed

]]> 2 teaspoons [10 mL] salt

]]> 2 cups [480 mL] pimiento-stuffed olives, well drained, slightly crushed, and coarsely chopped

]]> ½ cup [120 mL] pickled cauliflower, drained and thinly sliced

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] capers, drained

]]> 3 peperoncini peppers, well drained and slightly crushed

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] Greek-style black olives

]]> 3 small pickled cocktail onions

]]> ¼ stalk celery, minced

]]> ½ carrot, peeled and grated

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] celery seed

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] dried oregano

]]> 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] minced anchovies or anchovy paste

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] black pepper

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] olive oil

]]> ½ cup [120 mL] red wine vinegar

]]> 8 ounces [225 g] mozzarella or Emmentaler cheese, grated

]]> 8 ounces [225 g] mortadella, thinly sliced

]]> 8 ounces [225 g] cappicola ham, thinly sliced

]]> 8 ounces [225 g] salami, thinly sliced

]]> 8 ounces [225 g] provolone cheese, grated

]]> Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

]]> Olives and parsley sprigs, for garnish

]]>