Ingredients
For the Olive Salad:
- 1 cup green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), drained and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Sandwich:
- 1 large round Italian sesame seed bread (about 10 inches in diameter)
- 4 oz. thinly sliced mortadella
- 4 oz. thinly sliced salami
- 4 oz. thinly sliced capicola
- 4 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
- 4 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Prepare the Olive Salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the green olives, black olives, giardiniera, roasted red peppers, capers, celery, and garlic.
- Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
2. Assemble the Sandwich:
- Slice the round bread loaf in half horizontally. If the bread is very thick, remove some of the interior crumb to make room for the fillings.
- Evenly spread half of the prepared olive salad over the bottom half of the bread.
- Layer the mortadella, salami, capicola, provolone, and mozzarella over the olive salad.
- Spread the remaining half of the olive salad over the layered meats and cheeses.
- Place the top half of the bread loaf over the fillings. Press down gently but firmly to compact the sandwich.
3. Press and Serve:
- Wrap the assembled sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped sandwich under a heavy skillet or pan and press it for at least 30 minutes.
- Unwrap the sandwich and use a sharp knife to cut it into wedges or slices. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
