Pressed Picnic Sandwich

METHOD

Pre heat oven at 450F, 230C, gas mark 8.

Roast peppers whole in a very hot oven with a drizzle of olive oil for 40 minutes. For that chefy look, place in a sealable plastic bag (or bowl covered with cling film) until cool, to help the skins peel off.

Slice the aubergines lengthways and red onions into rings (leaving whole), place in a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and seasoning. Roast for 20 minutes. Add slices tomatoes to the tray for the last 5 minutes to soften.

Slice the courgettes lengthways and roast with a drizzle of olive oil for 20 minutes.

Add a splash of olive oil and garlic to a pan. Wilt the spinach with the chopped garlic until soft.

Once the vegetables are cool, remove the lid of the cob. Remove the soft bread from inside, leaving approx. 1cm inside the crusty case.

Fill the whole loaf with layers of the peppers, aubergine, onions, courgette, tomatoes and pesto, seasoning between each layer. You may not think it will all fit but keep pressing down and keep filling!

When you have got all the ingredients in the loaf, place the lid on. This may be slightly higher than the loaf but continue to wrap in cling film. Once wrapped, weigh down with heavy pans and chill overnight.   

Top tip

• To add more variety to your sandwich, add sliced chicken, ham or cheese in the layers.
• All these ingredients went into a 400g loaf, which left us a few picky bits for lunch!