Somewhere between a flatbread and focaccia, this delicious fig & pig picnic bread will add a gloriously decadent touch to your picnic feast.
We are always on the lookout for picnic tips and ideas to make our picnics simple, yet delicious.
This pretty fresh fig bread with salty cured prosciutto can be made the day before and is a welcome companion to most picnic menus. It also keeps very well in the fridge for a few days.
Much like the fig and prosciutto picnic baguette, this bread doesn’t need lots of ingredients to make it special. But what we love most about this bread for picnics, its an easy sharing dish either as the central dish or accompaniment.
Take it to the picnic whole and cut or tear into pieces to share. It’s a beautiful addition to a wine and cheese picnic. Or, serve it solely with salad or bbq meats – the salty, sweet goes beautifully with grilled lamb or pork dishes.
Dip it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or crumble goats cheese or feta and top with a sprinkle of arugula.
We have made this recipe with sourdough starter, but it can also be made with a store-bought bread mix – Ciabatta or focaccia mix is best. We give you the recipe for both ways.
If you are new to sourdough starters, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. It also opens a whole world of picnic possibilities.
The actual preparation for this recipe is very simple but you will have to allow some proving and rising time.
Fig & Prosciutto Picnic Bread
Somewhere between a flatbread and focaccia, this gorgeous sweet and salty fig & pig picnic bread is utterly delicious and so picnic perfect.
Ingredients
Sourdough Bread Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) sourdough starter
- 2 1/2 cups (298g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water (less two tablespoons to be substituted with olive oil.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast
- 2 cloves fresh garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (replaces the 2 tablespoons taken from the water measurement.
Bread Mix Dough Recipe
- 500 gm packet of bread mix - you can use focaccia or ciabatta.
- Water - the amount specified on the bread mix packet
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fig & Prosciutto Picnic Bread Toppings
- 5-6 fresh figs sliced - more or less if you wish.
- 5-6 slices of prosciutto - more or less if you wish.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sprinkle of sea salt to finish
Instructions
Sourdough Bread Dough Instructions
- Crush garlic and stir into the olive oil
- Mix the sourdough starter, flour, salt, pepper, and yeast with the water, oil and crushed garlic.
- Mix to combine all ingredients and then knead for about 7 minutes. If mixing with a dough hook, mix until the dough wraps around the hook and cleans the sides.
- Place the dough in a greased container, cover with cling wrap or a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size.
Bread Mix Dough Instructions
- Place bread mix in a bowl with the ground black pepper
- Mix the oil, water, and garlic in a jug.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients until completely combined.
- Turn onto a floured board and knead for about 7 minutes or until the dough is smooth
- Return a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.
Fig & Prosciutto Bread Instructions
- To make two smaller and thinner breads, divide the dough in half or leave whole for one larger thicker bread.
- Place the dough/s onto a flat pan or roasting tin and shape into a flattened Foccacia shape and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, press the dough towards the edges of the tray. If the dough springs back, it may need to rest for another 15 minutes.
- Toss the figs, prosciutto and red onion in a little olive oil and scatter them evenly over the bread, gently pressing the ingredients into the dough - not too hard.
- Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise again for another 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to approx. 180 C |350 F
- Finish with a drizzle of the remaining olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper.
- Bake for around 30 minuted or until risen and golden on top.
- Allow it to cool a little before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
When packing your picnic, you can place it on a wooden board and wrap in paper. This will keep it together and the board will act as a serving platter.
A sprinkle of fresh herbs such as thyme or fresh oregano makes a nice addition to the flavours and lovely garnish. You can add these before or after cooking, or both
Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or top with a crumble of goats cheese or feta and a sprinkle of arugula.
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