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Roasted vegetable sandwich with homemade pesto.

Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Fresh Homemade Pesto

Julie Hession
This healthy and satisfying vegetable sandwich consists of a variety of colorful roasted vegetables layered with homemade pesto, arugula and mozzarella on a soft ciabatta loaf. The assembled sandwich is wrapped tightly for several hours (or overnight) before slicing and serving, "pressing" the sandwich together and making neat, layered slices for a beautiful presentation.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 16 slices
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Equipment

  • 2 large baking sheets, lined
  • Blender or food processor
  • wire racks

Ingredients
 
 

Basil and Arugula Pesto

  • 1 cup basil leaves, packed
  • 1 cup arugula, packed
  • 2 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (6 to 8 cloves)
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup sliced or slivered almonds
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • salt and ground black pepper

Vegetable Sandwich

  • 1 medium eggplant, trimmed and cut into ¼ inch circles
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
  • 1 medium to large zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick (see Notes)
  • 1 medium to large yellow squash, trimmed and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
  • 1 red onion, peeled, trimmed, and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 2 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 6 medium tomatoes (i.e. Campari tomatoes), trimmed and sliced in ¼ inch circles (see Notes)
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 16 ounce rectangular ciabatta loaf (see Notes)
  • 2 cups fresh arugula
  • 1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick

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Instructions
 

Prepare the Pesto

  • Place the basil and the arugula in the work bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic and pulse 10-12 times to make a roughly chopped mixture.
  • Add the olive oil in a slow stream down the feed tube while the machine is running. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
  • Add the almonds and cheese and puree until smooth, 30-45 seconds more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container if not using right a way and chill for up to 2 weeks.

Prepare the Roasted Vegetables

  • Preheat your oven to 450℉. Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • Put all of the sliced vegetables in a large bowl and toss them with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, keeping like vegetables together.
  • Bake the vegetables for 30-40 minutes, until well roasted and the peppers are lightly charred. Let the vegetables cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then transfer them to wire racks set over paper towels to drain out excess water while cooling completely (see Notes.)

Assemble the Sandwich

  • Slice your loaf of bread in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Spread the pesto evenly over both sides of the bread.
  • Layer the arugula over the bottom half of the bread.
  • Starting with te eggplant rounds, layer the vegetables on top of the arugula. I like to do it in this order: eggplant, peppers, zucchini/squash, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, but you can do it in any order that your choose.
  • Top the vegetables with mozzarella and the top half of the ciabatta loaf. Wrap the the sandwich securely in plastic wrap to compress the layers. Chill for several hours or overnight (see Notes.)
  • When ready to serve, slice the sandwich into sections crosswise and then slice each section in half. If serving on a platter, you can secure each piece with a toothpick or a skewer.

Notes

  • You can also slice the zucchini into rounds, but I find that slices are easier to layer onto the sandwich. 
  • If you can't find ciabatta, use another rustic bread type.  You can also use a round loaf and cut slices into wedges.  If the loaf is too dense with bread, feel free to remove some of the bread from the insides before layering. 
  • Make sure there isn't too much excess water in the vegetables before you layer them, as this could result in soggy bread.  Drain it on the wire racks or blot it with paper towels if the vegetables seem extra "juicy."
  • If you chill the sandwich overnight, I like to flip it a few times, to distribute the weight evenly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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