Stuffed picnic loaf

Name: Stuffed picnic loaf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients: 1 large white loaf or seeded sourdough (you can buy or https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/white-bread-loaf/make your own); 2 long red peppers (ramiro or romano), quartered; 8 anchovy fillets; 4 garlic cloves, roughly sliced; 4 tbsp olive oil; 150g unsalted butter, softened; Handful baby spinach, roughly chopped, plus a few extra whole leaves; Finely grated zest 1 lemon and a squeeze of juice; Handful parsley, roughly chopped; 2 balls buffalo mozzarella, sliced; 2 large heritage tomatoes, sliced; Handful basil leaves

By: Jen Bedloe
Former head of food delicious.

Published: 26 Apr 21
Updated: 4 Apr 24

Test kitchen approved

This stuffed picnic loaf looks amazing but is easy to assemble. It’s stuffed with oozy mozzarella, whipped spinach butter and juicy tomatoes. Just slice and share.

Fancy making your own loaf from scratch? Try our white loaf recipe, and complete your feast with more of our delicious picnic recipes.

Serves 8-10
Hands-on time 20 min

Visit deliciousmagazine.co.uk to save recipe

Ingredients

1 large white loaf or seeded sourdough (you can buy or make your own)
2 long red peppers (ramiro or romano), quartered
8 anchovy fillets
4 garlic cloves, roughly sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
150g unsalted butter, softened
Handful baby spinach, roughly chopped, plus a few extra whole leaves
Finely grated zest 1 lemon and a squeeze of juice
Handful parsley, roughly chopped
2 balls buffalo mozzarella, sliced
2 large heritage tomatoes, sliced
Handful basil leaves

Method

Heat the oven to 180ºC fan/gas 6. Put the loaf on a sheet of baking paper/foil and cut at 2cm intervals three quarters of the way through so the slices all remain joined together at the bottom. Set aside.
Put the peppers, anchovies and garlic in a roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for 25 minutes until the peppers are soft and lightly charred. Set the peppers aside and keep the tin handy.
For the spinach butter: beat the butter with an electric mixer, then beat in the spinach, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and the anchovies and garlic from the roasting tin (reserve the oil). Beat in some black pepper and a little salt to taste
Spread the spinach butter between the slices of bread, then add the peppers (peel first if you prefer), mozzarella, tomatoes and the spinach and basil leaves. Drizzle the oil from the tin over the top (and any extra butter, if you like), then wrap in baking paper and foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve straightaway or keep wrapped to take on your picnic.

Recipe from May 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 426kcals
Fat: 24g
Protein: 13.4g
Carbohydrates: 37.5g (3.6g sugars)
Fibre: 3.1g
Salt: 1.3g

delicious. tips

Watch the video below to see how to make the loaf:
Prepare the loaf ready for baking up to 1 day ahead, then wrap well and chill. Once baked the loaf will stay hot for a good while if you wrap it well. It also tastes great at room temperature or as leftovers from the fridge

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