Easy Picnic Loaf Recipe (VIDEO)

This picnic loaf is easy to transport and looks so much more impressive than your average sandwich. Fill it with any meat, cheese and vegetables that you have to hand. Amanda Grant and The Co-operative Food bring you more on this recipe and others in our free Co-operative Food digital magazine https://magazine.co-operativefood.co.uk/full_page_image/julyaugust-2012-14/pugpig_index.html

Picnic loaf

SERVES: 4
TAKES: 20-25 minutes to make + about 20 minutes to cook

2 of each red and yellow peppers
1 courgette, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 medium unsliced loaf of your choice
50g spinach, watercress and rocket (either
a mixture of these leaves or just one type)
125g The Co-operative Italian mozzarella
or feta cheese, sliced
3 slices Parma ham (optional)
50g The Co-operative Truly Irresistible Summer Kiss tomatoes, roughly chopped (optional)
2 large handfuls fresh basil leaves

1. Preheat the grill to very hot, halve and deseed the peppers. Place on a baking tray and grill until the skins turn black. Meanwhile, put the courgettes onto another baking tray and grill alongside, until just cooked.

2. Put the peppers into a plastic bag and peel away the skins.

3. Cut the lid off the loaf and pull out the middle – leave a good crust so that it will stay crisp once the loaf is filled. Start layering all the ingredients inside with basil leaves dotted through the layers. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

4. Replace lid, wrap in greaseproof and baking paper and tie with string to keep it together or wrap in cling film.]

5. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.