Muffuletta Pasta

When I’d posted the Greek Pasta in early January,  I’d hinted at the idea of muffuletta pasta and the more I considered it, the better it sounded.  I’d used all of my Central Grocery olive salad, so the first order of business was to make some up.  As it turned out, we had everything on hand to make up a batch from the Muffuletta Olive Salad Recipe , which I found on several sites including Nola Cuisine.  I could have just added the ingredients directly to the pasta, but decided it would be better to follow the directions and make it ahead. 

Before I get into the pasta and for you folks who know I’m taking some liberties, I realize that a muffuletta is as much about the bread used as what’s on it, and it’s likely improper to apply the name to a pasta dish – so please forgive me in advance.  In doing some online research, I also discovered there is some variability in the selection of meat and cheese, except they all seemed to have provolone cheese, salami, and ham, with the following as options: mortadella, cappocolo, mozzarella, emantaller

So for mine, I went with the stuff I liked – baked ham (the hot cappocolo that I wanted wasn’t available), mortadella, salami, provolone, and mozzarella all purchased from the very small deli at Razzleberry’s in Oak Ridge and since it was pasta, I tossed in some pepperoni.  After the lesson I learned from the Greek Pasta (I used spaghetti), for this dish I used penne thus making it much easier to get the olive salad, meat, and cheese along with the pasta on to an eating instrument.  The final pasta recipe was:

1/2 lb. penne pasta

1 cup  olive salad

1/8 lb. mortadella, julienned

1/8 lb. ham, julienned

1/8 lb. hard salami, julienned

1/8 lb. Mozzarella cheese, julienned

1/8 lb. Provolone cheese, julienned
1 1/2" Piece of pepperoni, julienned

Set out salad, cheese, and meats for an hour to come to room temperature.

Cook the pasta in salted water to desired doneness, drain and return to the hot pan then stir in the other ingredients.  We plated and topped with a little grated parmesan and crushed red pepper.

Bev and I both liked it and it and it tasted somewhat like the sandwich - Bev actually liked the pasta better.  We'll have it again with two changes - nuke the olive salad and meat a little so it doesn't overly cool the pasta and buy some Central Grocery, or other good, olive salad as mine had a little bit of an off taste.

For you blonds out there - last one for a few days

A gorgeous young redhead goes into the doctor's office and said that her body hurt wherever she touched it.

'Impossible!' says the doctor.. 'Show me.'

The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream.

 
The doctor said, 'You're not really a redhead, are you? 

'Well, no' she said, 'I'm actually a blonde.'

 
'I thought so,' the doctor said, 'Your finger is broken.'

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

One year ago: Garden Time At Almost Heaven South

Two years ago:  Nothing

Larry

2/18/12