The Perfect Picnic Sandwich

July 17, 2009
Denise Smith

Pocket

This summer I discovered the perfect picnic sandwich. I took the original recipe for a “Muffuletta Sandwich”, a specialty hero-style sandwich of New Orleans, and switched it up a bit to make it a little more “family friendly”. A Muffuletta is a multi-layered sandwich made on a large round loaf of Italian bread, smothered with olive dressing, and layered with delicious Italian-inspired ingredients. My version, the “picnic sandwich”, consists of a round loaf of multi-grain bread, olive spread, hummus (or any other dip/spread you may have on hand), grilled or roasted vegetables, sliced meats, sliced cheeses, tomatoes, pickles etc. This sandwich is perfect for a picnic, lunch on the dock, or a packed lunch because it can be made ahead of time, feeds a crowd, is easy to transport, and, most importantly, tastes incredible.

Perfect Picnic Sandwich
Makes 8 sandwiches

You’ll Need

• 1 round loaf of bread, about 8” in diameter
• Olive spread/tapenade
• Dip (hummus, baba ghanouj)
• Grilled/roasted vegetables
• 100 g salami
• 100 g pancetta
• 100 g provolone cheese
• 100 g cheddar cheese
• Pickles, sliced
• Tomatoes, sliced

Preparation

• Assemble your sandwich a few hours ahead of time to ensure the flavour of the olive spread and dips get absorbed in the bread.
• Cut the loaf of bread in half, horizontally and scoop out some of the bread from each half.
• Spread one half of the bread with olive spread and the other with a dip of your choice.
• Layer the meats, cheeses, and vegetables on the bottom half of the sandwich.
• Place the top piece of the loaf on the top, tightly wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap, weigh the sandwich down with something heavy (such as a cast iron skillet), and refrigerate.
• Slice the picnic sandwich into wedges and serve.

What are you packing for lunch this summer?