Napoleon Bonaparte Muffaletta Sandwich

The essential elements of the sandwich consist of ham, salami, provolone cheese, and an olive salad topping, all assembled within a crusty circular baguette. The olive salad should be plenty yet not overpower the pork dish.

PHOTO BY ALPHA SMOOT

Ingredients

For the olive salad:

• ¹/₂ cup Spanish pimento olives

• ¹/₂ cup pitted black olives (Kalamatas work fine)

• 4 to 6 cornichons

• 2 cloves garlic (see note below)

• 2 teaspoons dried Italian oregano

• ¹/₂ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• ¹/₄ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the sandwich components:

• one 6-ounce rustic Italian roll

• A small amount of Creole mustard

• 0.25 pound of thinly sliced high-quality cooked or cured ham, such as prosciutto or jamón Serrano

• 0.25 pound of thinly sliced capicola, which is typically derived from the neck of a pig.

• 0.25 pounds of sliced provolone cheese

Instructions

1. Preparing the olive salad in a food processor is straightforward, utilizing olives, cornichons, garlic, oregano, olive oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Apply many rapid pulses to everything. It should retain a little chunky texture, being somewhat coarser than a tapenade.

   
   

2. Transfer the olive salad to a non-reactive bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. It should subsequently be placed in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 5 to 8 hours, and it can be stored overnight.

   
   

3. To construct, utilize a sharp bread knife to horizontally bisect the loaf into two half, resembling a large hamburger bun. Apply mustard to the lower half and layer with ham, capicola, provolone, and a substantial portion of olive salad. Envelop with the upper segment of the roll and partition into halves or quarters. Provide napkins.

   
   

4. Instructions for the chef: I utilize a "garlic confit" recipe from Thomas Keller's Bouchon cookbook. The preparation involves approximately 40 peeled garlic cloves submerged in canola oil and poached for approximately forty minutes; a heat tamer is recommended. Preserve the garlic and oil in an airtight container within the refrigerator. After several days, the oil will become intensely fragrant. I believe the diminutive Corsican would appreciate that gesture. It is convenient to own, and one can incorporate a small amount of the oil into the salad. Alternatively, utilize fresh garlic cloves.

   
   

5. The inclusion of cornichon in the olive salad is unconventional; yet, a friend from New Orleans appreciated it, suggesting its effectiveness. Do not be parsimonious with the olive salad.