Pressed Picnic Sandwich
This sandwich is adaptable to whatever you like to eat. Use whatever cheese you like; choose vegetables that look good to you at the market. Make it vegetarian by substituting tempeh or sliced hard-boiled eggs. Because this is a moist sandwich, it’s best eaten within a day or two of making it.
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini sliced 1/2-inch thick lengthwise
- 1 small eggplant sliced 1/2-inch thick lengthwise
- 1 medium pepper sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rings
- extra-virgin olive oil to spread on vegetables and drizzle on bread
- coarse salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ¼ cup pesto
- 1 large loaf ciabatta bread sliced in half lengthwise
- ¼ pound sliced cheese your favorite local variety
- ¼ pound cold cuts or charcuterie I used capicola, salami and mortadella from The Piggery
Instructions
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush each side of the zucchini, eggplant and pepper slices with olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
- Grill a few minutes per side, until slightly browned and softened. Set aside to cool.
- Spread pesto over one half of the ciabatta loaf; drizzle olive oil over the other half. Over the pesto half, layer the cheese, meat and grilled vegetables.
- Top with the other half of the loaf, wrap in plastic wrap as tightly as you can, then wrap in aluminum foil.
- Place wrapped sandwich in the refrigerator and weigh it down with a few heavy books or something similarly heavy. Sandwich will compress considerably after 3-4 hours; you can leave overnight and serve the next day as well.
- When ready to eat, unwrap, slice into 8 pieces with a sharp knife and serve.
Notes
Recipe by Amy Maltzan, eggsonsunday.com.
See more from the Summer 2014 issue.
