It seems that the muffuletta sandwich originated in Sicily, set on what most likely was flatbread sprinkled with sesame seeds. And since the Sicilians were the first mass wave of immigration to the port of New Orleans, it would seem that the soft sesame-seed bread of the muffuletta is an American cousin of the bread of the pane ca’ meusa (spleen sandwich) still sold in Palermo markets today. This meatless rendition of the muffuletta was made on All Souls Day; the one with the cold cuts and salad is served on more festive days.

Ingredients

　　Two 8-inch rounds of muffuletta bread, split open

　　1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta, drained

　　8 anchovy fillets, chopped

　　1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

　　Lay the bottom halves of the muffuletta bread, cut side up, on a work surface. Spread each with half of the fresh ricotta, and line half of the anchovies over each top. Drizzle with olive oil, and top with the remaining tops of bread. Cut into four wedges.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.