Grilled Vegetable Panini

Total Time: 31 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 16 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced on the bias into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced in 8 pieces (or red bell pepper)
• 1 medium yellow squash, sliced on the bias into 1/4-inch strips (or zucchini)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup green olives, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or slices-will stay on better)
• 1 french baguette

Recipe

• 1 preheat a grill pan over medium heat. brush the sliced vegetables with 1/4 cup olive oil. season with salt and pepper and place on the grill. cook until they have slightly charred and softened slightly, about 3 minutes per side. (i usually roast the veggies in a 400*f. oven for about 10 minutes.).
• 2 remove to a baking sheet.
• 3 in a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, italian seasoning, vinegar, remaining 1/4 cup canola oil, and salt and pepper to taste. drizzle half of the dressing over the grilled vegetables. stir the chopped olives into the remaining dressing.
• 4 cut the bread into 4 equal pieces and slice open. spread the chopped olives evenly on 4 bottom pieces of the bread.
• 5 top with a single layer of each of the vegetables, reserving the remaining vegetables for another dish(perhaps ratatouille or more sandwiches?). sandra used 2 eggplant slices, 3 slices of squash and one onion, rings searated and evenly placed over squash for each sandwich.
• 6 sprinkle(or lay slices) the cheese over each and place the remaining 4 bread pieces on top. place in a panini press and cook until well toasted, about 5 minutes. (or place on a well-oiled grill pan and place a heavy hot cast-iron skillet or griddle on top of the sandwiches, and grill until the bread is well toasted, about 5 minutes per side.).