Monday, May 3, 2010

Roasted eggplant and the mediterranean focaccia...meatless monday love!


Layered with pesto and roasted tomatoes and peppers, this sandwich has become the star of meatless mondays.
To begin, we roast the eggplant:

cut the ends off of your eggplant and peel with a sharp knife, holding eggplant on it's end and running the knife down the sides, as close to the skin as possible. Slice peeled eggplant lenthwise into 1/4 inch thick slabs. assemble dipping station: 1/2 cup flour per eggplant in an oblong container with a little seasoning like salt, pepper and basil. in another oblong container, blend wet mixture: 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk per eggplant plus salt and pepper to taste whisked thoroughly to very smooth consistency. Oil a sheetpan lined with parchment with a generous layer of olive oil. Then, forming an assembly line, dip the eggplant slices first in the flour and then the egg and arrange on the sheetpant and bake in a preheated 400 F degree oven and 15-20 minutes till slightly golden.
For Tomatoes and peppers:
Slice veggies into 1/4 inch slices and place on sheetpans lined with parchment and brushed generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until edges are brown.

Assemble the sandwich by slicing the focaccia bread length-wise. On the top crust sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and put back in hot oven to melt. On the bottom crust, spread freshly made pesto and then layer the eggplant, and the tomatoes and then the peppers. Top off with a pile of fresh cleaned spinach ;eaves and the melted cheesy bread layer. To really do it up right, you'll want to wetght this by putting and overturened sheetpan on top and then setting domething nice and heavy on top for 15 minutes or so...it will then be ready to be cut and enjoyed!