Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Cheese Panini Sandwich

Panini sandwiches are grilled on both sides to give the bread a nice toasty taste, flavor and texture, and to melt cheeses and heat ingredients through. These hearty sandwiches are perfect for any brunch, lunch or dinner engagement. Eggplant brushed with olive oil and grilled until browned on the outside and tender on the inside starts this sandwich. Sun dried tomato spread livens up the bread slices, while topping the eggplant with smoked Mozzarella cheese adds a chewy texture and unique flavor.

Cooks Notes:
Specialty sandwich grills are available for the purpose of creating Panini sandwiches. While a skillet or grill pan works well, the sandwich makers are ideal. Substitute hard sandwich rolls for the Ciabatta bread, if necessary or desired.

Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Cheese Panini Sandwich
Ingredients:
1 Large Purple Eggplant, sliced 1/4" thick, lightly salted, placed in colander 20 minutes to drain
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 loaf Ciabatta Bread
1/3 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
6 ounces Smoked Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
Preparation:
1. Heat a grill pan over medium heat.
2. Brush the eggplant slices with 1-tablespoon olive oil.
3. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Grill until grill marks start, turning only once.
5. Cut the loaf into 4 pieces. Cut each half lengthwise to create sandwich tops and bottoms.
6. Cover the bottom halves of sandwich bread with the sun-dried tomato spread.
7. Place an equal number of grilled eggplant slices over the tomato spread.
8. Top the eggplant with the smoked mozzarella slices. Place the sandwich tops over cheese.
9. Brush the sandwich tops with remaining 1-tablespoon olive oil.
10. Place the sandwiches on grill. Place a heavy skillet on top of each sandwich to press down.
11. Grill until the cheese is melted.




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