From feastingathome.com

Grilled Eggplant Muffuletta Sandwich

6 servings · 40 min prep · 20 min cook

Ingredients

For the sandwich

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
• 1 round loaf bread (sourdough, crusty Italian loaf, French bread, or focaccia, 8-10 inches diameter and 3-4 inches tall)
• 1 jar roasted peppers
• ½ cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
• ½ cup olive tapenade (store-bought or homemade)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (optional, or substitute provolone or hummus for vegan)
• 1 handful arugula

For the pesto

• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 ounces fresh basil leaves (about 1 cup packed)
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or substitute almonds)
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the olive tapenade

• ¼ cup Italian parsley (packed, or substitute basil)
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ cup kalamata olives (or substitute green olives)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons capers
• pinch chili flakes (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Alternatively you can roast the 1 large eggplant in a 400F oven until golden and tender. Slice the eggplant into ¼ inch disks, brush with olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon salt.
2. While grill is warming up, make the ½ cup pesto. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until you achieve desired consistency. Scrape out into a bowl.
3. Using the same food processor (no need to rinse), make the ½ cup olive tapenade. Add the ¼ cup parsley and 3 cloves garlic first and pulse until uniformly chopped. Then add the remaining ingredients except the 1-2 tablespoons capers, which you will stir in at the end. Pulse repeatedly until nicely chopped but not smooth. Place in a bowl and stir in the capers. Add chili flakes if you like.
4. Grill the 1 large eggplant, searing both sides nicely for 4-5 minutes each side, turning heat down if it is too hot. Then place eggplant slices in a foil packet to steam for a few minutes to cook all the way through. It is imperative your eggplant is cooked through.

   8-10 min

5. Cut loaf of 1 round loaf bread horizontally in half, leaving a good inch on the bottom layer. Spread the bottom with ½ cup pesto. Build the sandwich on a cutting board if possible. Layer with 1 large eggplant (¼ teaspoon salt it now if needed), 1 jar roasted peppers, fresh 8 ounces mozzarella, about ¾ cup olive tapenade, and 1 handful arugula. Spread the top layer of bread with remaining pesto and place it on top.
6. Press down gently. Either serve right away and cut sections with a sharp knife, or refrigerate it, placing on a layer of paper towels over a plate or platter. Cover with plastic wrap. Enjoy for the next few days.

Nutrition

Per serving

kcal

304

protein

10.7 g

carbs

11.4 g

fat

24.8 g

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