Okay, what the heck is a Muffalata?

Totally Judy

Totally Judy

Joined
Dec 3, 2000
Messages
4,347
Please be kind...... I am a Native Southern California beach girl transplanted to the Mojave Desert and culturally challenged. My mother is from Oklahoma so I am familiar with many foods from that area.

I have never been to the East Coast, to the Southern States or Coast, and I am really unfamiliar with most foods served there. Okay, I do buy my tea bags from Luzianne Tea Company - can't get them here and I read on the internet that the best iced tea is made from Luzianne Tea so I have it shipped to me.

But I had never even seen the word muffalata until yesterday in the best sandwich thread. I did a search but almost all links came up just with menus and did not describe what a muffalata is nor how to make it/one.

Please help out a poor, ignorant, white trash girl who lives rurally in the desert and only knows about baloney and white bread. :D

Thanks.
 
I didn't know but apparently it is a type of bread. I googled it and several recipies called for a muffalata loaf or bun.

From Ros' second citation:
Muffuletta or Muffaletta
Muffuletta is a type of Sicilian bread (round crusty loaf with a hollow center) but is best know as one heck of a big sandwich. The sandwich version originated in 1906 at the Central Grocery Store owned by Salvatore Lupo.
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Sounds like a sub or a grinder or a calzone on steroids and antacids.
 
Interesting that they are Italian but a staple of New Orleans. I would have thought it was a Cajun type of food/sandwich.

So..... are they as good as they sounds, Rosconey-Howard? (don't want you to be considered dishonest so I used your first name!)
 
For those who prefer not to click, here is one recipe from Chef Rick (you'll see the link above from rosconey2):

Muffaletta Sandwich

Makes 6 servings.

3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped green olives stuffed with pimientos
1 cup pitted and chopped "black-ripe" olives or Calamatas
1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers, chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/3 lb. salami
1/2 lb. provolone cheese
1/2 lb. mild cheese
1/3 lb. mortadella
1/3 lb. prosciutto

Cook’s note: The roasted red peppers are Italian-style, available at many Italian delis.

Take one loaf fresh Italian bread (one big round for a traditional Muffaletta or individual sub loaves will do fine for smaller sandwiches). Cut the loaf ( or loaves) in half, and scoop out a little of the inside to make some room. Make the olive salad by combining the olives and roasted perrer, garlic and vinegar. Drizzle some of the olive oil and juice from the olive salad on each side of the open loaf -- use plenty. On the bottom, place some salami, olive salad, provolone, mild cheese, and mortadella. Top with the other half loaf. Slice into wedges (or eat the individual loaves).

It's a classic Italian sandwich featuring what is essentially an olive salad 'blessed' with fine Italian meats. Choose the vinegar wisely! It will make or break the sandwich.

Some of my relatives claim black olives should never be allowed. I'm not that much of a stickler for family tradition.

It is absolutely not to be missed.
 
These are some good sandwiches. I have had them where they only had provolone, pepperoni, and spicy ham
 
If you're ever in Pensacola, FL, go by Jerry's Cajun Cafe on 9th and order one of the seafood muffalatas. Only order half, actually, because the whole one is bigger than your head.

Oh, and have the bread pudding with rum sauce for dessert. :thumbup:
 
Guess they don't have them muffalatas at Al's Sammich Shop down there on Main St..... (They do make one of the meanest Philly Cheese Steak's west of the Delaware, though).


At least you learned 'bout Luzianne tea. The closest place you can find it in a store is at the Nellis AFB Commissary about 150 miles east of Sparse-stow.



J
 
java said:
At least you learned 'bout Luzianne tea. The closest place you can find it in a store is at the Nellis AFB Commissary about 150 miles east of Sparse-stow.
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They also sell it in Pahrump, NV as I found out when I was making trips to help out the undead gerbil. It's probably about the same distance to Nellis.

But it's cheaper to order it online than to drive 3.5 hours one way to get it! Besides, I don't have access to the Commissary. Although I do have plenty of friends and co-workers who do. I don't know if the Commissary on the Marine Base in 29 Palms carries it. I'll have to ask someone to check it out next time they go there.

Thanks, Java.
 
You say muffaletta, I say muffalata. However, you say it, it is God's gift to mankind.

You'll think you've gone to heaven when you sink your teeth into a fried oyster muffalatta.

A very weak imitation is a Schlotsky's sandwich is there are any of those in your neck of the woods.
 
Ingredients needed:

* 1 cup back olives, sliced
* 1 cup queen stuffed olives, sliced
* 2 tablespoons minced shallots
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons small diced celery
* 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
* 1 1/2 teaspoons fine ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1 10-inch Muffalata bun
* 2 ounces cotto salami, thinly sliced
* 2 ounces smoked ham, thinly sliced
* 2 ounces Genoa salami, thinly sliced
* 2 ounces Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
* 2 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced


In a mixing bowl, combine the first eight ingredients together and mix well. Split the Muffalata in half and spoon half of the olive salad on one half of the bun. Place the cotto salami, smoked ham, Genoa salami, Mozzarella cheese, and Provolone cheese on top of the olive salad. Place the remaining half of the bun on top and slice the sandwich into fourths. Serve with Zaps.

Yield: 2 servings
 
Central Grocery in New Orleans is known for their muffalata ( which has many spellings ) You won't get smiling service, but you will get what many say is the best muffalata there is in the whole world.
 
Totally Judy said:
They also sell it in Pahrump, NV as I found out when I was making trips to help out the undead gerbil. It's probably about the same distance to Nellis.

But it's cheaper to order it online than to drive 3.5 hours one way to get it! Besides, I don't have access to the Commissary. Although I do have plenty of friends and co-workers who do. I don't know if the Commissary on the Marine Base in 29 Palms carries it. I'll have to ask someone to check it out next time they go there.

Thanks, Java.
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Cool! :cool: You might check Ft Irwin since it's even closer. Let me know since they don't carry it at the Edwards AFB Commissary......


:D
J
 
FoxholeAtheist said:
If you're ever in Pensacola, FL, go by Jerry's Cajun Cafe on 9th and order one of the seafood muffalatas. Only order half, actually, because the whole one is bigger than your head.

Oh, and have the bread pudding with rum sauce for dessert. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Bad news, Jerry's burned down a few weeks ago. Good news, he is rebuilding quickly! Actually there are many good places to get them in Pcola, and they are huge.
 
Oh, you poor, deprived, young thing! :eek: Sometime you need to come on over to the Gulf Coast and learn how real people eat. :D And did you stop and say "Hey" to Art Bell when you were in Pahrump? I'm listening to him right now on the radio.
 
Dr. Mudd said:
Oh, you poor, deprived, young thing! :eek: Sometime you need to come on over to the Gulf Coast and learn how real people eat. :D And did you stop and say "Hey" to Art Bell when you were in Pahrump? I'm listening to him right now on the radio.
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Who the heck is Art Bell? And have you ever spent any extended amount of time with the Vampire Gerbil? I guess noty if you expect me to have time to visit other people while I am in Pahrump!

Gulf Coast? Isn't that where the War is going on? :D My brothers and my sister have traveled and lived all over the States. I am the poor, deprived sibling who has never left the safety and security of Southern California.

Actually, I believe my older brother lived in Pensacola (sp?) when he was a Navy Pilot - after finishing school in Beeville, Tx. My sister lived in that area also when she was in the Navy and also married a Navy man.

And here I sit.....watching quail and rabbits and ground squirrels wandering around outside. Plus the occasional Road Runner - the vicious and mean creatures that they are.

The closest I am going to get to the Gulf Coast is Houston in October. Hey, isn't that on the Gulf Coast?
 
The Best Muffalatas in my region,is just south of McAlester on HWY 31.
A small store that's called Kerb's Corner, MMMMMMMmmmmmm.Anytime that I'm near the store,I swing by & get two_One to eat there, the other to take home & enjoy.
 
OldPhysics said:
For those who prefer not to click, here is one recipe from Chef Rick (you'll see the link above from rosconey2):

Muffaletta Sandwich

Makes 6 servings.

3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped green olives stuffed with pimientos . . . .
Click to expand...


You guys are missing the most important part - after building the sandwich, you have to wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours with a heavy weight on top. A couple of cans of soup or a couple of bricks will do the trick.

That way the sandwich will be a lovely dense taste treat - the tappenade has a chance to soak through and marinate all the ingredients.
 
Why is it that I get this mental image of Rosie O'Donnell when I hear this name? If only this were whine and cheese, I could elaborate....
 
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