I love making a stuffed Picnic Loaf for a special but simple lunch, a fancy picnic or as part of a buffet-style meal when entertaining. Mainly because not only does it look and taste great, it’s also perfect for making ahead of time (although if you’re making this as a main meal, it’s fine to throw together and serve in 15 minutes flat too!) We’ve put the work in to perfect this version of a Muffaletta (see notes below on what this is), from the type of bread to use to the ideal filling-flavour combination and consistency. What we discovered was: ➡️ A 400g fresh loaf works perfectly for 4 people (a small tiger loaf is perfect). We found a baguette too tricky and shallow to hollow out, and a large loaf took too much filling to hold its shape. ➡️ There are certain fillings, like tomato or cucumber, that can make the bread a bit too soggy if not eaten immediately, so bear this in mind. The combination in this recipe is spot on.
Why you’ll love this Muffaletta recipe
⭐️ Ideal quick or make-ahead cold meal ⭐️ An impressive buffet or picnic addition ⭐️ Fun to make and looks good too!
Picnic Loaf Muffaletta Ingredients
400g fresh crusty bread – 1-2 day old Tiger loaf works perfectly Mixed charcuterie – I chose one with salami and cheese Green pesto – Or red if you prefer Buffalo mozzarella balls – Cut into thick, even, slices Grilled peppers in sunflower oil – This is sold as a 280g jar (I got mine from Aldi, most supermarkets have them) Pre-prepared salad bag – Use what’s left as a side salad
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Using your leftover breadcrumbs!
Put these to one side and make into breadcrumbs if you have time. You can freeze in bags and use them later in recipes such as Popcorn Chicken, Homemade Fish Fingers, Courgette Fritters, Cauliflower Tacos or Easy Fish Pie.How to make breadcrumbs: Simply whizz them up in a food processor until they’ve reached the right consistency. You can also pop the broken up bread into the oven before you do this for very dry breadcrumbs. You can serve this immediately, however if you have time to store it in the fridge for anything from an hour until overnight, the loaf will improve considerably and the slicing will be much cleaner. If you do want to leave this before you serve, bear in mind that wetter ingredients like tomatoes or cucumber will make the bread soggy, so don’t add these if so. It’s fine if you’re eating straight away. Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
