Text: Vickie de Beer. Assisted by Jana van Sittert and ICA student Inemari Rabie.  Photographs: Lee Malan. Article from the March 2013 issue of Food and Home Entertaining Magazine.

Take it outside and make a meal of these vegetarian treats. This loaf is the ultimate picnic side dish. The bread contains all the lovely deli ingredients you would normally have to lug around in heavy jars and containers. You can use any leftover deli items in your fridge, like tapenade, marinated veggies or olives.

Perfect Picnic Loaf

Serves 4-6

Easy 15 mins

1 red and 1 yellow pepper

1 large baguette

60ml (¼ cup) basil pesto

25g mozzarella, sliced

125ml (1/2 cup) olives, pitted and sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the grill of the oven. Place the peppers on a baking tray and grill until blistered and soft. Remove and cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
2. In the meantime, cut off the top third of the baguette and set aside. Use your hands to hollow out the loaf. Save the filling for breadcrumbs.
3. Peel the skin off the peppers and remove the inner membranes and seeds. Slice into thick strips.
4. Fill the hollowed-out loaf: start with a layer of grilled peppers, spread with some pesto, top with cheese slices and the olives, and season. Place the reserved top third of baguette on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Slice just before serving. 

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