italian picnic loaf

Name: italian picnic loaf
Total time: 1 h

1 hour
serves 8
Easy

A fantastic easy-to-make recipe using a ciabatta bread mix, baked then stuffed with an olive salad, salami, roasted red peppers, mozzarella and spinach. Wrap in foil and slice to serve.

Ingredients

ciabatta bread mix 250g
extra-virgin olive oil 
rosemary needles chopped to make 1 tbsp
young spinach leaves 3 handfuls
mozzarella 400g block or 3 balls, sliced
roasted red peppers 300g jar, drained and torn into pieces
Italian salami 2 x 70g packs

Olive salad

green olives 100g, pitted and chopped
shallot 1 small, finely chopped
capers 2 tsp
red wine vinegar 1 tbsp

Method

Step 1

Heat the oven to 220c/ fan 200c/ gas 7. Make the bread dough following the pack instructions. Shape into a flattish, domed round and put on a baking tray covered with oiled clingfilm. Leave to prove for 20 minutes (it will be approx doubled in size). Uncover and use your fingers to press small indents into the top of the dough then drizzle with2 tbsp olive oil. Toss the rosemary in a little more olive oil then scatter over the bread. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden. Cool completely then slice in half.
Step 2

Mix all the olive salad ingredients and season. Dip a brush into the dressing from the salad and brush both sides of the bread.
Step 3

Spread half the salad on the bottom half of the bread. Add the spinach followed by the mozzarella, salami and peppers, seasoning as you go. Finish with the rest of the olive salad. Wrap tightly in foil. Leave for at least an hour before eating.