It’s the perfect time of year for a picnic. At least, it was the perfect time for a picnic on Tuesday, when it was sunny and suddenly felt like summer. Utah springs are notorious for being wishy-washy, shifting from snow to sun at a moment’s notice, but that doesn’t mean we need to waste the season altogether. Slush and rain and cold might be just around the corner, but then again, a perfect spring day is a possibility on almost any day in March and April — the key is to be prepared to run out and picnic as soon as the weather gets dreamy.
Of course, most of us don’t have the perfect picnic ready to go at any second. Myself? I get so excited about picnic season that I’m apt to overthink the first few outdoor dining experiences of the year. I start dreaming of potato and spinach tarts, raspberry tartlets, dainty arugula salads, with perfectly coordinated drinks, and before I know it, the sun has gone down, or it’s raining. So I decided to come up with a different picnic strategy. After months of eyeing Italian pressed sandwiches, I decided to create a version that would take just seconds to throw together — it’s the perfect thing to wrap up in a little wax paper and toss into a picnic basket. It’s fresh, it’s light, it tastes like spring, and the best part? It will have you ready for a romantic picnic for two in just a few minutes.
We’re still a few months away from juicy vine tomatoes, but you can fake the fresh, juicy effect with a few slices of jarred fire-roasted red pepper, brought to life with a springish hit of fresh basil.
 
Italian Picnic Sandwiches
for two
2 ciabatta rolls
4 slices roasted turkey
2 slices soppressata, or other Italian dry salami
2 slices asiago cheese
2 pieces fire-roasted red pepper
a generous handful of fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste