A round Sicilian sesame loaf, split and stacked with cured meats, provolone and a chopped olive salad soaking into the bread.
What makes it muffuletta
A round, soft, sesame-topped loaf.
Olive salad: green and black olives, pickled vegetables, garlic, oregano and olive oil.
Salami, ham, mortadella and provolone, in layers.
Where it comes from
Sicilian immigrants came to New Orleans in large numbers from the late nineteenth century, many of them working the French Market. The sandwich is usually credited to the Central Grocery on Decatur Street early in the twentieth century, and takes its name from the round bread it's made on.
It's made ahead and left to sit, so the oil from the olive salad soaks in — and a whole one feeds several people.