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Muffaletta Bites

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Appetizers" by Denise Gee


Recipe Introduction

"God help us if we ever have to do without olive salad, a tangy veggie confetti that perks up everything it graces. Though it's hard to beat the crunchy Italian-sandwich behemoths (pronounced 'muffa-lottas' by New Orleans locals) at Central Grocery in the French Quarter, it's easy to want to eat any semblance thereof. These flavorful little puffs do the trick."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ One 16-ounce jar Italian olive salad, drained
â—¦ ½ cup shredded smoked Provolone cheese
â—¦ ¼ cup finely chopped salami
â—¦ ¼ cup finely chopped ham
â—¦ Two 12-ounce cans refrigerated flaky biscuit dough
â—¦ Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley for garnish


Recipe

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive salad with the cheese, salami, and ham. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly coat two 12-well miniature muffin pans with cooking spray, if necessary.

On a lightly floured surface, place the biscuit dough in two even rows and use a rolling pin or clean fingers to gently flatten/pat into ½-inch-thick rectangle. Firmly press the perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle into 24 squares (each about 2 inches wide).

Place one square of dough in each of the prepared muffin wells. Firmly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides, leaving the corners of the dough extended over the edges of each well; shape the edges with your fingers or use a fork to crimp it as desired. (The dough will rise at times; just press it back down until you can add filling. At this point, you can cover the muffin pan and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.)

Spoon a heaping 1 tablespoon of the filling into each well. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the tartlets from the pan and garnish each with a parsley leaf. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8
(3 or 4 tartlets each)