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?
Picnic season has finally arrived, and the timing couldn’t be better seeing that this coming Sunday is Earth Day. I plan on packing up some good eats and a cozy blanket, and hitting an outdoor space with the kids for a little croquet and lounging on the lawn.
My plan is for our picnic to be a totally eco-friendly and tasty outing. Here are some ways in which I hope to achieve that:
- For starters, we won’t travel too far from home. It defeats the purpose of trying to save the environment if we drive to a far-away location. The local park is a great spot, or we may just use our own backyard and invite a friend or two over to join us.
- I’m not going to go to the expense of purchasing biodegradable plates and napkins, but I will definitely pack reusable ones. Glass mason jars are perfect vessels for lemonade and iced tea, not to mention bean and lentil salads and individual desserts. Cotton napkins are ideal, but if you don’t have any, roll up a few extra tea towels and use those instead.
- My favourite picnic foods include pressed sandwiches and/or baguettes, cured meats, chopped fruits, hearty salads, cookies and drinks. All of those items will be stashed in my bag for they travel well, and are practically perfect finger foods.
- The electronic devices are staying home. No ‘apples’ or ‘blackberries’, unless they’re they edible kind, of course.
Are you doing anything to celebrate Earth Day this year? What is your favourite picnic fare?
