Muffaletta Bread Recipes

MUFFULETTA BREAD

Steps:

• In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, combine water and sugar.
• Stir in yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5-10 minutes.
• In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine 3 cups flour, salt and shortening.
• Add yeast mixture.
• Process until dough forms a ball, about 5 seconds. Stop machine, and check consistency of dough. It should be smooth and satiny.
• If dough is too dry, add more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing just until blended.
• If dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, processing just until blended. Process 20 seconds to knead.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, swirling to coat bottom and sides.
• Place dough in the oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat all sides.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk,.
• about 1 1/2 hours.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• When dough has doubled in bulk, punch down dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Form dough into a round loaf about 10" in diameter, and place on a greased baking sheet.
• Sprinkle top of loaf with sesame seeds.
• Press seeds gently into surface of loaf.
• Cover very loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, 1 hour.
• Place rack in center of oven.
• Preheat oven to 425.
• Remove plastic wrap.
• Bake loaf in center of preheated oven, for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 375, and bake 25 minutes.
• The loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
• Cool completely on a rack before slicing.

TRADITIONAL MUFFALETTA BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the water, yeast and sugar in the workbowl of a stand mixer, stir well and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until good and foamy.
• Meanwhile, combine the flours, salt, and lard in a bowl and work in the fat with your hands until broken up into very small pieces.
• When the yeast is foamy, fit the mixer with a dough hook attachment and gradually add the flour on low speed until its all incorporated. Scrape the sides down between additions. When the dough comes together, turn it onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Alternatively, you can let the machine do the work.
• Coat a large bowl with the Olive Oil, then put the dough in, turning once to coat both sides. Cover loosely with a clean dry towel, or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and shape into a flat round about 9 inches across (it will expand to about 10″.) Place the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, about 2-3 Tbsp should do it, then press them lightly into the dough. Loosely cover the loaf and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• When the dough has risen, remove the cover, gently brush with the egg wash then gently place into a preheated 425 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees F for an additional 25 minutes or until it's golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

MUFFALETTA BREAD

Steps:

• Using the dough hook on your stand mixer*, combine all-purpose flour , 2 cups bread flour, water, salt, sugar, olive oil, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer - scraping down sides as needed - at low speed until blended. Add additional flour if needed, but note that dough should be a bit sticky.
• Increase speed to medium and knead for eight minutes.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured board* and form into a ball.
• Clean and dry mixing bowl and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, seam-side down, and spray top lightly with oil.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto the floured board and knead for 2 minutes. Divide in two, and form into balls.
• Let dough rest for 15 minutes then flatten out into discs 7 to 8 inches in diameter.
• Place each disc on a baking sheet, and poke all over with a fork.
• Cover with plastic sprayed with oil and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• If you have a baking stone* place it on a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
• Bake each loaf for 20 to 25 minutes until well-browned. Cool on a wire rack completely before slicing. Note 1 : You can use only all-purpose flour if you wish, but the bread flour adds a bit more chewiness. Note 2 : This bread freezes well if wrapped in a couple of sheets of plastic and stored in a zip-lock freezer bag.

MAURO'S MUFFALETTA

Steps:

• Cut the loaf in half horizontally. Spread the Olive Giardiniera Salad crust to crust on both sides of the bread. Then, layer the cheese on the bottom, followed by high ribbons of the mortadella, salami and capicola. Cover with the top half of the bread and let sit 20 to 30 minutes so the salad's oil can soak into the bread. Cut into pie-shaped wedges and serve to the masses.
• Put the olives, red peppers, giardiniera with oil, capers, vinegar, parsley and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times until a coarse relish forms.

MUFFULETTA GARBAGE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir the olives, giardiniera and parsley together in a bowl.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 20-by-14-inch rectangle. Working from the shorter end, distribute the provolone over half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border at the edge. Evenly distribute the salami over the provolone, then repeat with the ham and mortadella. Sprinkle the olive salad evenly on top. Working from the shorter end, tightly roll the dough up, jelly roll-style, into a log. Pinch the open seams together to seal, then tuck them underneath the log.
• Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top, then use a sharp knife to slash 4 crosswise vents into the top of the dough.
• Bake until the bread is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. (The cheese may leak out a little bit on the side.)
• Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice crosswise.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 14 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. , Cut bread in half horizontally; carefully hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Spoon half the olive mixture over bottom half of bread. Layer with salami, ham, mortadella, Swiss and provolone; top with remaining olive mixture. Replace bread top. Wrap tightly. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into 8 wedges.

MUFFULETTA SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine green and black olives, olive oil, capers, red wine vinegar, shallot, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Cut salami and deli ham so they fit onto the crackers. Spread cream cheese on the crackers, top with a piece of salami, a piece of ham, and a spoonful of the olive salad.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• Combine the kalamata olives, green olives, basil, garlic and oil in a food processor or blender and process until coarsely chopped.
• Cut the top from the bread loaf and hollow out the center so that about 1/2 inch of crust remains. Spread olive mixture evenly over the inside of the loaf. Layer the salami, cheese, tomatoes and onion until the loaf is full.
• Replace top of bread, lightly press down and wrap tightly in plastic wrapping. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. Slice crosswise in about 1 1/2 inch pieces, and serve.

MUFFALETTA

Steps:

• Remove insides of bread boule and reserve for another use. Spread olive salad over cut side of bottom half of bread.
• On the bottom half of the bread, layer mortadella, soppressata, salami, coppa, cheese, Peppadews, and arugula. Sandwich top half of bread over meats and cheese. Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap and weigh down with a cast-iron skillet or two large cans of tomatoes and place in the refrigerator overnight.
• Remove sandwich from refrigerator, cut into wedges, and serve.

THE BA MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• Make the olive salad:
• Combine Calabrian chiles, shallot, garlic, both olives, piquillo peppers, oil, capers, vinegar, and oregano in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble:
• Split bread in half along the equator line. Divide olive salad, including any liquid, between halves. Lay salami on bottom half of bread, followed by capocollo, provolone, mozzarella, mortadella, and prosciutto. Close sandwich and wrap tightly in plastic. Place between 2 baking sheets and weigh down with a heavy pot or two to flatten slightly. Let sit at room temperature, turning over halfway, 1-3 hours before cutting into wedges to serve.
• Do Ahead
• Olive salad can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.