The bread baked by Alex Geoffrion shares several similarities with pizza, one of the specialties of the restaurant which opened in the spring on Plaza Saint-Hubert. Not only does its size and round shape recall the appearance of the Italian dish, but the dough is the same. However, instead of letting it rest in the fridge, the chef places it in a pan with olive oil to let it ferment and rise overnight. “It looks like a mix of focaccia and rustic bread, I would say,” describes the chef. Rather dense on the inside, the bread has a nice crust on the outside, he continues. To recreate this tasty sandwich, however, nothing requires us to cook the bread. A round ciabatta purchased from a bakery is an interesting substitute, suggests the chef. A country loaf with a little crumb removed is also an option often offered in recipes on the web.
After pouring a little olive oil on the bottom bread, place on the first layer: the marinated vegetables, essential for a successful muffuletta. “We go with our tastes,” says Alex Geoffrion, listing multiple possibilities, including carrots, turnips, banana peppers and pickles. The easiest way is to turn to a muffuletta spread mix sold in grocery stores. The chef suggests the Aurora brand. If, like him, you like it spicy, you add banana peppers. Spread the marinated vegetables cut into small pieces all over the bread.
Even though there are olives in the muffuletta spread, Alex Geoffrion adds more to form a second layer. The strain he uses? Pitted Castelvetrano olives, which he slices. “In English, they sound a little buttery. […] Their taste is not very intense,” he explains.
On top of the olives, Alex Geoffrion places Genoa salami. If the muffuletta sandwich is traditionally composed of Italian cold meats, you can, once again, let yourself be guided by your personal tastes, emphasizes the chef. For example, in Vancouver, he has already tasted a version with dried duck breast. “There are people who use ham,” he adds. The important thing is to apply a fairly generous layer.
“We use Italian provolone. It’s quite creamy […] and it brings more flavor than mozzarella,” says Alex Geoffrion about his choice of cheese. Among the other varieties that would go well with this sandwich, he names caciocavallo or even ricotta. But, according to him, “provolone is the best choice.” “Throughout the years, I’ve tried a lot of things. »
Another layer of charcuterie: this time place around 500 g of mortadella. “An Italian classic,” emphasizes Alex Geoffrion, placing the slices of charcuterie by folding them slightly on themselves. For what ? Not only does this allow you to taste the mortadella in every bite, but it also creates a nice, defined layer when you cut the sandwich. After all, we also eat with our eyes.
To complete the sandwich, Alex Geoffrion adds some chopped parsley and grated pecorino romano. “Both are optional,” he says, noting that you might prefer parmesan. Then he brushes the top bun with spicy mayonnaise. “Traditionally, there’s no [mayonnaise]. We do it because we love it. »
The sandwich is assembled. All that’s left to do is cut it… Good luck! “My advice is to cut it into an X, then cut each quarter as desired,” the chef suggests. By keeping your knife at 45 degrees and going slowly, you get a good result, he assures. At Marci, where the muffuletta sandwich is part of the menu in the café section open Tuesday to Saturday during the day, it is divided into 16 portions sold individually. To make cutting easier and allow the flavors to infuse into the bread, some wrap the muffuletta sandwich in plastic wrap, then let it sit in the refrigerator with a weight on top for several hours. “When you take this out, it’s super easy to slice. »