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Vegetable Melts on Garlic Toast




Source of Recipe


the web


Recipe Introduction


makes 4 servings


List of Ingredients




1 eggplant, about ¾ pound
Kosher salt
4 large, firm ripe plum tomatoes, about 1 pound
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thin lengthwise-cut sweet onion such as Maui or Vidalia
5 ounces spinach leaves, stems removed (about 4 cups loosely packed)
1 teaspoon minced garlic, plus 1 clove garlic, halved
1 tablespoon finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
Freshly ground black pepper
4 thick slices whole-grain coarse country bread, each about 6 inches long, 4 inches wide, and ¾ inch thick
4 large fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
½ pound low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Recipe



Peel the eggplant and cut crosswise into 8 slices about 1,2 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of each slice lightly with salt and layer them in a colander set over a plate. Place a second plate on top to weight them down and let stand for 1 hour. Rinse the slices well and pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and remove the seeds. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in a 9-inch square baking pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and using 1 tablespoon oil, brush both sides of each slice. Place both pans in the oven. Roast the eggplant for 15 minutes; using a wide spatula, turn and continue to roast until lightly browned and soft, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven. Meanwhile, roast the tomatoes, turning them and rotating the pan so the tomatoes cook evenly, until the skins are shriveled and caramelized, 24-45 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let the tomatoes cool. Uncover and peel off any skins that loosened from the flesh. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Place a large frying pan over medium heat until hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle and then immediately evaporate. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the onion and toss to coat. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the onion is wilted and tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, wash the spinach carefully in 2 or 3 changes of water. Drain briefly in a colander. Uncover the pan, stir in the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the still-damp spinach leaves and toss to distribute evenly. Re-cover and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat nad add the olives, a pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper. Stir to mix.

Rub 1 side of each bread slice lightly with the cut side of a garlic half. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet. Brush evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler (grill).

Make a layer of the spinach on each of the toasts, dividing it evenly. Top with 2 eggplant slices, slightly overlapping them, and then with 2 roasted tomato halves, cut side up. Sprinkle evenly with the basil. Arrange a layer of the cheese on top of each sandwich, dividing evenly. Slip the pan into the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source and broil (grill) until the cheese is hot and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Transfer to individual plates and serve at once.

Note: You can assemble the sandwiches ahead and place under the broiler just before you serve them.