BreadBreadsMeatPizza & Panini

Italian Picnic Loaf

Packed full of flavour this fancy shareable treat is guaranteed to impress – a hollowed loaf filled to the brim with the wonders of Italian cuisine! Make it in advance and leave to chill in the fridge so all those antipasti juices soak in.

Prep Time: 15 mins + 2 hours chilling
Cooking Time: 0 minutes
8 people

Used in this recipe

Ingredients

1 round rustic white loaf, such as sourdough
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp Filippo Berio Classic Pesto
Large handful of spinach leaves
Vegetable antipasti mix
6 slices of Prosciutto
250g ball mozzarella, drained and sliced
100g Italian salami

For the Vegetable Antipasti

4 tbsp Filippo Berio Classico Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red, yellow & orange pepper, deseeded and quartered
2 courgettes, cut on the diagonal 1 cm slices
1 aubergine, cut lengthways into 0.5 cm slices
1 tbsp Filippo Berio Red Wine Vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Method

Cut the loaf in half horizontally, then scoop out most of the dough to make room for the filling. You can keep the hollowed bits of bread to make breadcrumbs for the cottolette (see page xx) or arancini (see page xx).
Combine the pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Spread the pesto mayonnaise inside both pieces of the loaf.
Layer up the loaf with the spinach, antipasti vegetable mix, Prosciutto, mozzarella and salami, finishing with a layer of the vegetables.
Replace the top of the loaf, press together gently, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours. Cut into wedges to serve.
For the Vegetable Antipasti: Place 2 tbsp of Filippo Berio Classico Olive Oil in a large bowl and season well, add the peppers and turn to coat.
Heat a large griddle over a medium-high heat and cook the peppers in batches until you see griddle marks and the peppers have softened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to let the peppers sweat and continue cooking.
Repeat with the courgettes and aubergines, adding a little more Filippo Berio Classico Olive Oil if needed, then add to the bowl with the peppers.
Whisk together the remaining Filippo Berio Classico Olive Oil, vinegar and garlic and pour over the vegetables, stir well then cover and allow to cool and marinate. Once cool they will keep refrigerated for 3 days.

Classic Pesto

From £2.80

Produced in Liguria, the home of pesto, Filippo Berio Classic Pesto is bursting with the fresh, aromatic flavour of Italian basil. Deliciously versatile, it’s perfect with pasta, meat, fish, potatoes or simply drizzled over your favourite dishes for a vibrant burst of flavour.