MUFFALETTA BREAD

We will bake some Muffaletta Bread. I will use a bread machine for the dough and then I will bake the loaves in the oven. I will make individual loaves.
It is very convenient to make the dough in a bread machine but you can also do it by hand. It is harder, though.
I like to use some whole wheat flour in my Muffaletta. These are the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 cup and 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

If you use a bread machine, you should follow the directions of your machine.
What I do with mine is the following. The first thing is to put the ingredients in the machine. I put the water first, then the olive oil, the sugar and the salt. Then I will mix the bread flour, the unbleached all purpose flour and the whole wheat flour. I will do this in a bowl and once this is done, I will add all the flour to the machine. Then I will add the yeast. I will use my bread machine to knead the dough selecting the program for it. When the dough cycle is over, I will leave the dough in the machine for an hour. That should make the dough grow a bit, but do not let the dough collapse. If you see that the dough is collapsing, remove it from the machine.
The next step is making the Muffaletta loaves. I will grease a tray and take the dough from the machine. I will make four loaves with the dough, giving the loaves the shape we want. When making the loaves, it is important not to manipulate the dough too much. Once the loaves are shaped, I will sprinkle some sesame seeds on them. Now we will let the loaves rest for half an hour.
And the next step is baking. We will preheat the oven to 425ºF. I will put the loaves in the oven and I will keep them there for about 25 minutes. Have a look to your bread and when it is ready, turn off the oven.
Now you will have your Muffaletta loaves, ready to make your sandwich. Enjoy your Muffaletta!

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MUFFALETTA

Muffaletta, or whatever you want to spell it, as you will find it spelt in many different ways, is a wonderful sandwich. Typical of New Orleans, one of my favourite cities. I still remember my first Muffaletta. I ate it there, in New Orleans, at Central Grocery, the place that is supposed to have made the first Muffaletta. I love New Orleans and its food.

Ingredients:

Muffaletta bread
¼ cup black olives, chopped
¼ cup green olives, chopped
¼ cup roasted chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
Some freshly ground black pepper
2 slices serrano ham or prosciutto
6 slices salami
2 slices deli chicken breast (or turkey)
2 slices deli ham
Some slices of tomato
Some slices of onion
2 slices or cheddar cheese
Some grated provolone cheese
Some grated mozzarella cheese
Some mayonnaise sauce
Some mustard

These are the ingredients I used this time. Of course, you can put the ones you like. You can use your favourite deli products.
To make my Muffaletta I will start making my olive salad mix. I use a chopper in which I will put the olives, the red pepper, the garlic and the capers. I do not like to chop them too much but, of course, you can do it the way you like. Once this is chopped, I add the olive oil, the vinegar, the lemon juice, the oregano, the thyme, the basil and the black pepper. I do not add salt because the olives and ham and deli products are already salted, but, you know, it is up to you if you want to add some salt. You can also add some chopped anchovies, pepperoncini, etc.
Now, we only have to make our sandwich. We will open our Muffaletta Bread and spread some of the olive mix that we have prepared before. And then we will add the slices of ham, salami and deli meats. Then we will add the tomato, the onion, all the cheese, the mayonnaise sauce and the mustard.
And now, well, I do not have to tell you what is next. Enjoy your Muffaletta!

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PATATAS BRAVAS

A wonderful tapa from Spain. Something easy and delicious. And it is cheap too. Sometimes you do not need to spend too much to eat something really good.
You can find Patatas Bravas anywhere in Spain. I miss them and when I go back to Spain, one of the first things I always do is going to a tapas bar and order a dish of Patatas Bravas. Now we will cook them together.

Ingredients:

3 potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Some salt to taste
3 tablespoons mayonnaise sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Few ingredients and nothing complicated.
We will start washing and peeling the potatoes. Once this is done, we will cut the potatoes in little pieces.
Now we will heat the olive oil in a frying pan. When it is hot enough, we will fry the potatoes. I like stirring the potatoes from time to time. The moment you see that the potatoes are starting to be done, remove them from the heat. You can put them on some kitchen paper towel to get rid of some oil. We only have to serve our Patatas Bravas. Serve them with some mayonnaise sauce, some ketchup and some drops of Tabasco sauce. Mix everything and enjoy. Wonderful. I’ll cook some Patatas Bravas for me now!

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