When it comes to our Southern Delicacy features, I must say that I have tried almost all of them! Today’s, however, I sadly have never had the pleasure of tasting. If a muffuletta tastes as good as it looks, though, I’m in for a treat whenever it is that I can sink my teeth into one!
Look at all that melted cheese – YUM!
Muffuletta photos from Robyn Lee via Serious Eats and Celebration Generation (including a recipe!)
The muffuletta is both a type of round Sicilian sesame bread and a popular submarine-style sandwich that was created in New Orleans (using muffuletta bread, of course!). A traditional style muffuletta consists of a muffuletta loaf split horizontally and layered with marinated olive salad (homemade is best!), capicola, mortadella, salami, pepperoni, ham, Swiss cheese and provolone. WHEW!
The original muffuletta was born at the Central Grocery in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Sicilian farmers selling their produce at the nearby farmers’ market would come in for lunch and order some salami, ham, cheese, olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or a round muffuletta loaf. Tradition had the farmers eating everything separately while sitting on crates and balancing their meals on their knees — not the easiest set-up. Seeing their daily struggle, Central Grocery’s owner suggested cutting the bread and putting everything on it like a sandwich. The farmers found that the thicker Italian bread proved too hard to bite, so the softer round muffuletta loaf won out. Soon the farmers came to merely ask for a “muffuletta” for their lunch, and a NOLA classic had arrived!
Mini muffulettas from Southern Living; mini muffuletta crostinis from Thrifty Foods; muffuletta bites from Rhubarb and Honey; and muffuletta squares from Three Many Cooks
They may not be identical to the original, but we think these mini variations are just the cutest, and perfect for a wedding cocktail hour! Have y’all ever had a muffuleta? I’m dying to try one!
What’s your favorite Southern Delicacy? I’d have to go with beignets!
Thanks for including my muffaletta bites in your round-up! I adore the muffaletta sandwich … and I think I may be making those muffaletta squares soon!
[…] New Orleans delicacies like mini muffulettas were […]