The muffaletta is a specialty from New Orleans where we went to college. Traditionally it is filled with Italian meats and cheese but more importantly it is dressed with an olive salad and olive oil that soaks into the bread. We love the city and LOVE the sandwich. This is a meat free version stuffed with roasted eggplant, spinach, tomato. If you can buy olive salad in New Orleans go ahead but below is my "jazzed up version" which is not necessarily traditional but adds a lot of flavor to a meat free sandwich.One loaf very crusty bread (you don't want olive salad soaking all the way through)
Tomatoes
Baby spinach
One eggplant sliced and salted then baked for 25 minutes at 375 (spray with pam and flip halfway through baking)
*Roasted red peppers, zuchinni, or red onion would also be good additions here
Olive Salad:
1 cup kalmata olives
1 cup small green olives
1/2 jar Giardiniera (pickled vegetable salad usually in the international food isle)
2 or 3 pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers
3 TBS sundried tomatoes in oil
handful Italian parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder or clove fresh garlic if you want it strong
1 teaspoon oregano and basil
Splash red wine vinegar
2-3 TBS EVOO
To Assemble:
Cut bread into top and bottom. Scoop out some of the doughy part from the top to fill with olive salad. Scoop 1-2 cups of salad into the top and set aside. On the bottom layer eggplant, spinach and tomato or any other veggies. Put the two parts together and wrap in plastic wrap. Let sit 2 hours or more in fridge to let flavors meld. Cut into quarters and serve or just call it a day and eat a whole damned half!
Serves 2 (when you are very hungry!)
Tip: Use extra olive salad and mix into hummus. Eat with slices of cucumber or pita chips!
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