This is an idea I’ve been working on for quite a while. The big issue has been the crust; it needed to be able to hold up to the big flavors on top of it and be part of the New Orleans sandwich experience. I found the answer for the crust in my Detroit roots with the Sicilian crust. Then I used the traditional New Orleans combination of salami, mortadella with pastaccios, ham, and Swiss with mozzarella cheeses. Lastly, iceberg lettuce is never going to stand up to cooking, so I switched that out for a diced olive tapenade. That’s a lot of explaining. I hope you like it.

Crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup 115 degree water
1 package quick rise yeast
1 cup water
3 tablespoons melted butter plus more for pan
Toppings:
3 slices hard salami, diced
3 slices mortadella, diced
2 slices capacola ham, diced
3 slices Black Forest ham, diced
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 slices provolone cheese
1/4 cup marinaded olives, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
1 8 x 8 foil pan

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat water to 110 – 115.

In a small bowl add water, honey, and yeast and stir.

Let rest for 10 minutes.

In large bowl add flour and salt. Mix. Add yeast, water, and melted butter and mix. Add more water if needed until all flour is combined.

Cover with a clean towel and set in warm place for 15 minutes.

Grease 8×8 pan with butter.

Add dough to pan and spread. You may want to remove some to play with or make bread sticks while the pizza cooks.

Add olives and Italian herbs to crust.

Add cheese slices: mozzarella first, provolone second.

Mix meats and add to pizza.

Add tomato slices in rows.

Place pizza in oven for 35 minutes. Remove and add pizza sauce in the rows over tomatoes.

Cook for an additional 10 minutes until crust is done.

Cut in 4 slices and serve.