Phil Vickery's summer picnic loaf
Forget soggy sandwiches and squashed sausage rolls, because Phil Vickery’s got the ultimate addition to your picnic basket. He’s serving up a simple savoury mozzarella and Parma ham picnic loaf, and a sweet summer fruit brioche.
Mozzarella, roasted pepper, parma ham and tomato picnic loaf
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
2 large buffalo mozzarella
1 large tin loaf
1 x 200g tub Moroccan style hummus
150g jarred roasted red and yellow peppers
2 beef tomatoes, sliced, not too thinly
1 x 180g jar red pesto
150g pack Parma ham or large Chorizo slices (or both)
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas 6
2. Slice the mozzarella into 4 thick slices. Cut the loaf into 4 slices horizontally and lay each slice onto a chopping board.
3. Spoon the hummus evenly on the bottom three slices of bread, then season each with salt and pepper
4. On the base slice of bread, lay half the peppers and tomatoes, spoon over a little pesto
5. Lay the next slice of bread on top, press down and then lay over the Parma ham or Chorizo and the mozzarella then add a little more pesto
6. Now lay the next slice of bread on top and add the rest of the tomatoes and peppers. Spoon over a little more pesto and top with the final crust.
7. Place the loaf onto a very large piece of foil and wrap the loaf totally. Wrap in a second large piece of foil and squeeze nice and tightly.
8. Place onto a baking tray and pop into the oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes.
9. Once cooked, remove from the oven and press nice and tightly again - be quite brutal here, the more you press the better the chilled loaf will cut the next day. Cool and chill well, best overnight.
10. Next day, remove from the fridge and take on your picnic. Open and slice to order, it’s as easy as that.
Blueberry and strawberry brioche picnic loaf
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
1 large brioche loaf, slightly stale
200g Rodda’s clotted cream
300g lemon curd
300g halved strawberries
100g finely chopped white chocolate (or use chocolate buttons or chips)
300g fresh blueberries
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200℃ gas 6. Cut the brioche in four even slices, horizontally.
2. Spread the clotted cream and lemon curd evenly over 3 brioche slices, leaving the top crust clean
4. Layer up all three slices with strawberries, chocolate, and blueberries. Place the crust on top, then wrap tightly in foil. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
4. Once cooked, remove from the oven and tightly wrap again, then cool and chill well - best chilled overnight
5. Next day, remove from the fridge and take on your picnic. Serve sliced with a little more clotted cream.