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Layered Italian picnic loaf

Name: Layered Italian picnic loaf
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 red pepper, seeded and quartered; 1 small yellow pepper, seeded and quartered; 4 small baby marrows, sliced diagonally; 4 large black mushrooms; 125ml (½ cup) olive oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 15ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 3 anchovies, crushed; 15 capers, finely chopped; fresh basil leaves; large round crusty loaf; 45ml (3 tbsp) black olive tapenade; 4 mozzarella balls, sliced; 20 slices salami

May 4, 2010 (Last Updated: January 11, 2019)

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Layered Italian picnic loaf

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

1 red pepper, seeded and quartered
1 small yellow pepper, seeded and quartered
4 small baby marrows, sliced diagonally
4 large black mushrooms
125ml (½ cup) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 anchovies, crushed
15 capers, finely chopped
fresh basil leaves
large round crusty loaf
45ml (3 tbsp) black olive tapenade
4 mozzarella balls, sliced
20 slices salami

Instructions

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the peppers, marrows and mushrooms in a large bowl, toss through 60ml (¼ cup) of the oil and season.

Lay half the vegetables in a single layer on a wire rack resting on a baking tray and place directly under the grill. Cook until just tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a bowl and grill the remaining vegetables.

Mix the remaining oil, vinegar, garlic, anchovies and capers. Pour this over the vegetables, toss through half the basil and season. Cover and leave to marinate for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Slice the top of the loaf to create a lid and base. Scoop out the soft bread, leaving a neat crust (the crust should not be too thin).

Spread half the tapenade on the base of the bread.

Pat the marinated vegetables dry. Layer the mozzarella on the tapenade, then the peppers, then the salami, then the remaining tapenade and finish with the mushrooms.

Place the lid on the loaf and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place on a baking tray and rest another weigheddown baking tray on top. Leave to set and infuse for about 2 hours.

Unwrap the loaf, cut into thick slices and serve.