Pan-grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula and Balsamic

The other day I made this recipe I found in Food Network Favorites. It was completely delicious, and I wanted to make sure I kept the recipe to use again and again. However, I realized that the few dozen recipes I've acquired in my short 22-year existence are scattered all over, and in various forms of media. So, I decided, what better way to collect recipes than in a blog? It satisfies all of my major requirements: organized, accessible, and easy to share. I hope you enjoy my ever-growing collection of recipes. Feel free to share some of your own!

For this recipe, I would suggest a slightly larger and more flexible crusty bread as the ingredients are rather slippery and tend to fall out. Also, I decided to use the Green Olive and Artichoke Tapenade instead of jarred olive paste. Mmm!




Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

vegetable oil, for brushing
2 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise in 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 small yellow squash, sliced lengthwise in 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 red onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 baguettes, about 24 inches long
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 bunch arugula, washed, dried, and stems discarded
balsamic vinegar, to taste
1 small jar roasted red peppers, halved
1 small jar olive paste (optional)

Brush a large grill pan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Before grilling, toss veggies with olive oil, garlic, and salt and black pepper to taste. Grill vegetables in batches until nicely colored and soft, about 6 to 12 minutes per batch. Wipe down the grill pan between batches to get rid of burnt-on bits.

Cut bread into 6-inch pieces lengthwise but don't go all the way through. Spread a thick layer of ricotta on the bottom half of the bread. Sprinkle with some salt.

Toss arugula with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and black pepper to taste. Place dressed arugula on top of ricotta, then add generous amounts of the different grilled vegetables and the roasted red peppers. Spread a thin layer of olive paste on the top half of the bread, if desired.