Name: Many mouths to feed? This make-ahead muffuletta sandwich makes it easy
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 75g pitted green olives; 75g sun-dried tomatoes; 75g roasted red peppers,jarred; 50g guindilla chillies (optional); 15g capers; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 garlic clove,peeled and finely grated on a Microplane; 1 tsp dried oregano; ½ cup loosely packed basil leaves; ½ cup loosely packed parsley leaves; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

The beauty of this sandwich is that it actually wants to be made ahead of time to feed a crowd.William Meppem

easyTime:<30 minsServes:6-8

A muffuletta is a classic layered sandwich from New Orleans. Known for its use of several different types of cold cuts,it also incorporates sliced provolone cheese and a piquant olive salad or “relish”. The beauty of this sandwich is that it actually wants to be made ahead of time to feed a crowd,which renders it perfect for all that TV-watching on grand final weekend.

Ingredients

FOR THE OLIVE SALAD

75g pitted green olives
75g sun-dried tomatoes
75g roasted red peppers,jarred
50g guindilla chillies (optional)
15g capers
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove,peeled and finely grated on a Microplane
1 tsp dried oregano
½ cup loosely packed basil leaves
½ cup loosely packed parsley leaves
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

FOR THE SANDWICH

1 loaf Italian bread,either round or in a batard shape (a round white sourdough or cob loaf will also work),about 650g
200g sliced provolone
200g sliced ham
150g sliced mortadella
100g sliced salami
50g sprouts of your choice

Method

Step1
To make the olive salad,combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped but not a paste. Set aside.
Step2
Cut the bread through the equator and scoop out all of the soft white bread from the top and bottom slices,leaving a thin “lining” of bread and the crust intact. (Those insides can be pulsed in a food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs and reserved for another purpose.)
Step3
Divide the olive salad in half and spread inside each of the bread casings.
Step4
Divide the cheese slices in the same way and place them on top of the olive salad,shingling them to cover the base but making sure they don’t extend beyond the crusts;everything must be contained. Imagine that you’re packing an open suitcase made of bread!
Step5
Place the cold cuts on top of the cheese in one half of your suitcase only;this will be the bottom half of the sandwich. Again,make sure the slices are folded up and shingled so they don’t extend beyond the crust. It will look like a lot,but trust that this is correct. Finally spread the sprouts on top of the cold cuts.
Step6
Carefully place the top of your sandwich – the one that contains the olive salad and cheese only – on top of the bottom half,gently secure and wrap the whole thing tightly in aluminium foil at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. The cheese slices will hold the olive salad in place like the flaps in a suitcase lid. After 30 minutes,slice into wedges like a pie and serve.