Cooler Caprese Baguette
Day one lunch, when the cooler is still cold and the bread is still good.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 7 oz
- cal / oz
- 74
- protein
- 20 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 8 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 8 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Lunch
- Cooler only
- No cook
- Car camping
- Canoe / raft
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- Eat in the bag
- Grab and go
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Baguette | 1 | a real one, from a real bakery, on the drive up |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh mozzarella | 6 oz | |
| Tomato | 1 large | |
| Basil | a handful | |
| Olive oil and balsamic | 2 tbsp each | |
| Flaky salt and pepper | to taste |
Method
- Split the baguette lengthwise but not all the way through.
- Layer sliced mozzarella and tomato down the length of it.
- Tear the basil over, then oil, vinegar, salt, and a lot of pepper.
- Wrap it tight in foil and press it under something heavy for twenty minutes while you set up camp.
- Cut into sections and eat before the tomato makes the bread soggy.
There is a specific pleasure in eating well on the first day, before the food gets boring and everything starts tasting like the inside of a stuff sack. This is that meal. It requires a cooler, it does not survive to day two, and it is worth planning the first day around.
The pressing step is not optional. It is what turns a pile of ingredients into a sandwich.
Packing
Bread rides on top of everything. Anything set on a baguette in a car arrives as a flatbread.
Variations
- Prosciutto if the vegetarian constraint does not apply.
- A jar of good pesto in place of the basil and oil, which also survives longer.