When the temperatures rise, we all prefer to be outdoors – and mealtimes are no exception – food even tastes better when enjoyed al fresco in summer. A picnic is a fun way to try our vegan recipes for aubergine dip, olive focaccia and, to satisfy those with a sweet tooth, fig jam! Pack your basket with these delicious yet wholesome and satisfying goodies – your friends and family will never guess they’re purely plant based! 

Awesome aubergine dip

Serve four people with this creamy, savoury aubergine dip!

Ingredients:

• 2 large aubergines
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• A clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon of tahini
• Cumin
• Sea salt
• A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Optional: vegan mayonnaise
  

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pierce the aubergines in several places with a fork then bake for 45 minutes. During this time gather the other ingredients to make your dip, and load eating vessels and cutlery into the picnic basket.
2. When cooking time is over, remove the two aubergines carefully, and put them aside to cool until they’re comfortable to touch.
3. Slice them open and scoop out the soft contents into the blender bowl.
4. Mix with all the other ingredients and then stir in the mayonnaise if desired to give it a creamy appearance and texture.
5. Sprinkle on the chopped parsley and serve with pitta bread, crackers or crudités.

 Fancy olive, tomato and rosemary focaccia

Some breads are like a meal in themselves, especially if they are full of mouth-watering ingredients.

Ingredients:

•  500 g flour (plus extra for dusting)
• Heaped tsp sea salt
• Pinch of sugar
  

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra for greasing) 2 small sachets of fast-action dried yeast + 300 ml lukewarm water 80 g semi-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped 150 g mixed pitted olives Handful of fresh rosemary leaves 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Mix flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl then form a well in centre with your hands. Dissolve the yeast in water. Pour the olive oil then the yeast into the well and mix thoroughly.
2. Add the tomatoes and continue to knead the dough thoroughly on a lightly floured surface until smooth and spongy.
3. Form it into a sphere and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover this with oiled cling film. Leave to rise to twice its size (this takes around 45 minutes). Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured baking tray and use a rolling pin to roll it out to around 25 x 35 cm.
5. Make small hollows in the dough with your thumbs, push the olives in each hollow and scatter over the rosemary and garlic. Drizzle the oil over the dough and sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Cover again loosely with cling film and leave to rise for another 30 minutes until twice the size.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until the dough has risen and is a light golden brown.
8. Leave it to cool then wrap it in greaseproof paper, ready to take on your picnic as a filling and delicious side dish!

Just like this tasty bread, our Freschezza line also contains the wonderful scent of rosemary extracts.

Fantastic fig jam

 Marmellata di fichi ­is nutritious, delicious and super easy to prepare.

Mix up one kilo of (washed and diced) green or purple figs with 700 g of sugar and the juice of two lemons and leave it all to soak overnight.

The next day, simmer this lovely mixture for 40 minutes on a low heat. Allow it to cool and then transfer to airtight jars, ready to carry to your picnic!

Spread the jam generously on soft bread, with or without a base of vegan margarine. The taste is like cake – but it’s vegan and contains fewer calories!

The scent of this preserve might remind you of our sweet-scented Idratazione line, which also contains organic fig!