What is mortadella muffuletta?
Mortadella is smoked sausage originating in Bologna, Italy, and is the original from which the slang name baloney came. It is pork flavoured with garlic and anise. The Romans called the sausage a variation of farcimen mirtatum. Some evidence points back to the 1300’s showing this kind of sausage was made in Bologna. Muffuletta (bread) has Sicilian origins. Mortadella Muffuletta is a speciality of New Orleans originating in 1906. It’s made with Italian bread, layered with salami and ham, green un-stuffed olives, Pimientos, celery, garlic, cocktail onions, capers, oregano, parsley, olive oil, red-wine vinegar, salt and pepper. This olive salad is what sets it apart from all other sandwiches. The muffaletta sandwich is or was a speciality of Central Grocery, operated by Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant. (New Orleans) So while “mortadella” and “muffuletta” originates with Italy the Moradella Muffuletta sandwich has New Orleans origins.
