A large, hearty, and juicy New Orleans sandwich, packed with deli meats, melt-in-your-mouth cheese, and a tangy olive salad. It is prepared ahead of time so the bread can soak up the flavors without completely softening.
Ingredients
- 1 piece large round bread or thick focaccia
- 150 g sliced mortadella
- 150 g sliced salami
- 150 g sliced cooked ham
- 200 g sliced provolone or Swiss cheese
- 150 g pitted green olives
- 100 g pitted black olives
- 1 piece celery stalk
- 1 tbsp capers in vinegar
- 60 g pickled sweet peppers
- 0.25 bunches flat-leaf parsley
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- to taste ground black pepper
Method
- Prepare the olive salad by chopping the olives, celery, capers, peppers, and parsley, then mix with the oil, vinegar, oregano, and pepper until you have a glossy, moist, and still crunchy filling.
- Slice the bread in half horizontally with a serrated knife, then hollow out a little of the crumb from the center to form a shallow cavity that will hold the filling.
- Spread a generous layer of olive salad on both cut sides of the bread, making sure to reach the edges so every slice is seasoned.
- Arrange the cheese on the bottom half of the bread, then add the deli meats in loose, even layers, until you build a tall but stable stack.
- Close the sandwich and press down with your hands until you feel the layers pack together without completely crushing the bread.
- Wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap, then place a weight on top until the crumb starts to soak up the juices and the sandwich holds its shape.
- Unwrap, check that the bread is flavorful but still holds its structure, then cut into clean wedges with a serrated knife.
- Serve at room temperature, when the fat from the deli meats is soft and the acidity of the olives shines through.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 875.5 kcal
- Protein
- 36.67 g
- Carbohydrate
- 19.75 g
- Fat
- 70.82 g
- Fibre
- 7.5 g
- Calcium
- 99.11 mg
- Iron
- 4.11 mg
- Magnesium
- 50.36 mg
