Sicilian muffin

This delicious bread is called muffulettu it's usually is made during the fall near St. Mar tin's day when as the saying goes tutto il mosto diventa vino or all the juice becomes wine.  My friend at my favorite supermarket here, bakes them all yera long but only an Saturdays so naturally I avail myself of this pleasure.  The Sicilian word muffulettu must be related to the English word muffin. There  are many English-isms in Sicilian. For example, this wonderful language, just like  English lacks the superlative. In Italian the superlative of bello is bellissimo in english in order to state this concept one must say very beautiful. In Sicilian one must say veru beddu. Interesting linguistic similarities.

At any rate, aside from the language lesson, this soft bread is made with a dough that has wild fennel seeds mixed in. One dresses it with slices of Sicilian caciocalallo similar in a way to provolone, salted sardines and olive oil. It is a wonderful snack. Ricotta may be added but then no sardines.
BTW, what in the English speaking world is known as italics, in Italian it is known as inglesismi. Go figure.