The Muffuletta is a great sandwich, but it's far better when you make it at home. I'm talking homemade muffuletta bread, homemade giardiniera, and a beautiful olive salad to boot. It's basically the sandwich of your dreams.

INGREDIENTS:

Muffuletta Bread:

• 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp (195ml) water (95F)

• 2 tsp 6g instant yeast

• 2 3/4 cup (415g) bread flour

• 1.5 tsp (7g) fine sea salt

• 1 Tbsp (14g)sugar

• 2 Tbsp (23g) lard or shortening

Quick Giardiniera:

• 1qt (950ml) white vinegar

• 1 cup (240ml) water

• 1 Tbsp 10g kosher salt

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 Tbsp (9g) coriander seeds

• 1 tsp (2g) grains of paradise

• 5 ribs celery

• 1/2 head cauliflower

• 6 carrots

• 2 red Fresno chilies

Olive Salad:

• 1 cup (190g) Castelvetrano olives

• 3/4 (165g) cup black olives

• 1/2 cup (60g) dry cured olived

• 1 Tbsp fine chopped oregano fresh

• 1 shallot, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, grated

• 2 large handfuls giardiniera

• 2 Tbsp (30ml) sherry vinegar

• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and Pepper to taste

Assembly:

• Ham

• Swiss cheese

• Salami

• Smoked provolone

• Mortadella

INSTRUCTIONS:

Method:

1. Start by combining lukewarm water (95F) with instant yeast and mix to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Toss into a stand mixer.

3. With the dough hook attached, add in the lard and mix to combine a bit before adding in the yeast mixture. Mix on medium-low speed for 5-6 minutes.

4. Dump onto a surface and roll into a ball. Place into a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap resting at room temperature for 60 minutes.

5. Punch the dough down and dump onto a work surface and gently roll into a disc.

6. Place the disc on a parchment lined baking sheet covered with a damp towel. Proof for 30 minutes at room temperature.

7. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

8. Set in a 450F preheated oven for 10 minutes. First 5 minutes of baking place an oven safe pan filled with steaming water underneath. Remove the pan for the remaining 5 minutes.

9. Drop oven temperature to 375F and bake for another 20 minutes.

Giardiniera Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine all wet ingredients with salt, bay leaves, coriander seeds, and grains of paradise. Bring to a simmer.

2. Add in the ribs of celery, cauliflower, chopped carrots, and sliced fresno chiles. Simmer 6-8 minutes.

3. Scoop vegetables into a jar with chopped oregano and cover with the pickling liquid.

4. Let cool until reaching room temperature.

Olive Salad Method:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together chopped black olives, chopped pitted Castelvetrano olives, chopped pitted cured olives, chopped oregano, diced shallot, grated garlic, rough chopped giardiniera, diced thai chiles, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Thoroughly mix to combine.

Assembly Method:

1. Slice muffuletta bread in half. Toast each slice of bun in melted butter then brush each slice with garlic oil.

2. Begin with a generous amount of olive salad, slices of ham, swiss cheese, slices of salami, slices of smoked provolone, and slices of mortadella.

3. Top with another generous amount of olive salad before topping the sandwich with the top bun.

4. Slice and serve.