Sourdough muffaletta

Ingredients

• 1 large sourdough loaf
• 150g smoked scamorza, sliced into 5mm discs
• 1 whole buffalo mozzarella (250g), sliced into 5mm discs
• 50g salami finocchiona, in wafer-thin slices
• 50g aged Parma ham, in wafer-thin slices
• 20g fresh basil
• 4 tablespoons green pesto
• 50g sundried tomatoes in olive oil
• 75g pitted green olives
• 75g pitted black olives
• 75g capers
• 75g cornichons
• 150g roasted red peppers
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

Heat the oven to 200C. Carefully slice off the top quarter of the sourdough loaf, cutting horizontally to form a lid. Use your hands to tear out the interior of the loaf, leaving it hollow inside (keep this for breadcrumbs or panzanella salads).

Brush the inside of the loaf (including the lid) with olive oil. Bake for 6-8 mins until golden, then leave to cool.

On a board, chop the olives, capers and cornichons into a coarse tapenade-like consistency – use a mezzaluna if you have one to make it easier. Scrape into a bowl, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and mix well.

Spread the bottom of the loaf liberally with about 3 tbsp pesto, then add a layer of Italian salami. Add the mozzarella slices, followed by a layer of whole sundried tomatoes, then a layer of basil leaves.

Add the Parma ham, then the olive-caper-gherkin tapenade, followed by the smoked scamorza slices and the roasted red peppers. Finally, spread the remaining pesto onto the inside of the lid, then press it down onto the sandwich, encasing everything.

Cover with a large plate and place a heavy weight on top. Leave in a cool place or the fridge for at least 8 hours (ideally overnight) for the flavours to meld. Slice into generous wedges using a large serrated knife.

Images: Stuart Ovenden