Spring has sprung!
What better way to blow the cobwebs from winter away and enjoy the fresh spring air with your loved ones than dining alfresco with some delicious food? This stuffed picnic loaf if the perfect addition to any pantry, follow this simple recipe to see for yourself…
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf of bread
- 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
Step 1 – Heat your oven to 180ºC fan/gas 6. Put the loaf on a sheet of baking paper and cut at 2cm intervals three quarters of the way through so the slices all remain joined together at the bottom but open at the top then set aside.
Step 2 – place the peppers, anchovies and garlic in a roasting tin, and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 25 minutes until the peppers are soft and set the peppers aside.
Step 3 – now you can begin the spinach butter. Beat the butter with an electric mixer, then mix in the spinach, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and the anchovies and garlic from the roasting tin.
Step 4 – Spread the spinach butter between the bread slices and add the peppers, mozzarella, tomatoes, spinach and basil leaves. Drizzle the oil from the tin over the top for extra flavour.
Step 5 – wrap the finished dish in baking paper and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve straightaway for the best results!
