Holiday food on a plastic table

We've been away on holiday hence the long gap between posts. We had a great time with family and exploring some of the beautiful countryside in this amazing country. We headed into the Alps and spent a week hiking and soaking in the calm and quiet of the mountains. It actually wasn't too silent as the cows and goats still wear bells around their necks and you can hear them from miles away. 
We enjoyed some delicious food - holidays for us tend to revolve around the meal table. For our week in the Alps it was a plastic picnic table under the tree. Think of this recipe as a cross between a meat loaf (for the Anglophones) and a country terrine (for the Europeans). Packed full of flavour, it travels well, can be eaten hot or cold, main course with a salad and potatoes or as an apéro with cornichons (gerkins). 

Summer Tomato Meat Loaf
3 slices of white bread (crusts cut off)
100ml milk
1 handful fresh basil, torn
1 handful of fresh parsely, chopped
400g minced beef
400g sausages
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (if you can't find it use soya sauce)
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
250g cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil


Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Soak the bread in the milk for 2-3 minutes, then squeeze the bread dry. Make sure you squeeze it well. If the bread is too wet it will cause your meat loaf to fall apart easily when you cut it. 
In a large bowl combine the bread, herbs, meat, nutmeg, sauces, egg and seasonings. 
Plunge your hands into the mixture and mix together with your fingers. Your hands get a little dirty here but honestly it's the best method to ensure everything is mix together well. 
Line a loaf tin with baking paper so your meat loaf doesn't stick and you can lift it out in one piece when it's cooked. 
Pack in the mixture firmly, ensuring it reaches the corners and their are no air pockets.
Smooth the top of the mixture nicely. I like to make mine with a rise in the middle to give slice a nice rounded top when I cut it. 
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and arrange over the top, cut side down. In my loaf tin the tomatoes fit 4 halves across for about 11 or 12 rows. 
Sprinkle with sugar (to bring out the natural flavour of the tomatoes) and olive oil.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remover the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes so the tomatoes grill a little. 
Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve hot or cold.