Grilled Eggplant Panini With Cambozola Blue Cheese Prosciutto And Arugula Food

GRILLED EGGPLANT PANINI

Steps:

• Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Pat dry and brush lightly with olive oil.
• Preheat a panini grill and place the eggplant slices in it in an even layer. Grill 3 minutes, until cooked through and nicely marked by the grill. Remove from the heat.
• Spread a little pesto on the bottom slice of bread. Top with a layer of eggplant slices, then a layer of pepper or tomato slices. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Top with the grated cheese and the other slice of bread. Brush the outside of both the bottom and the top pieces of bread with olive oil. Grill 5 minutes, or until nicely toasted and the cheese has melted. Remove from the panini grill and cut into halves or thirds, depending on the size of the bread. Serve hot.

PROSCIUTTO AND EGGPLANT CALZONE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Put a pizza stone on the bottom shelf of the oven to preheat.
• Remove the dough from the packaging and let rest on a lightly floured surface.
• In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, add the prosciutto and cook until crisp. Remove from pan to a plate and set aside.
• Season the eggplant with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the pan over medium heat and saute the eggplant for 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the garlic and the red pepper flakes. Saute 2 to 3 minutes more, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let sauce reduce until all the extra liquid is gone, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 egg, the Parmesan, pine nuts, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper, the parsley and the basil. Gently combine the ricotta mixture with the eggplant.
• In a small bowl add the remaining egg and 1 teaspoon water and beat well.
• Knead the dough a few times on a floured surface and add in the dried oregano and rosemary. Cut the dough in half and roll 1 piece into an oval about 12 to 14 inches long and 8 inches wide. Put the dough on a peel sprinkled with cornmeal and add half of the ricotta/eggplant mixture half way down the oval, leaving 2 inches on each side. Top with 3 slices of the mozzarella and sprinkle with half of the prosciutto.
• Fold the dough over and roll the edge closed. Brush with the egg wash, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and slide off the peel onto the hot pizza stone.
• Repeat with the other half of the dough and ingredients. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, serve hot!

ARTICHOKE AND EGGPLANT PANINI

Steps:

• Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat; see grilling procedure .
• Pulse artichokes, mayonnaise, capers, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
• Trim off a thin slice from 2 opposite long sides of eggplant, then cut eggplant lengthwise into 4 (1/3-inch-thick) slices. Brush both sides of slices with 2 tablespoons oil (total) and season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Grill eggplant slices, covered, turning once and brushing grilled sides with 1 tablespoon oil (total), until golden-brown and tender, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a tray.
• Brush both sides of bread with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and grill, covered, without turning, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes.
• Top each of 4 bread slices, grilled sides up, with cheese and an eggplant slice. Spread artichoke mixture on remaining 4 bread slices, grilled sides up, then assemble sandwiches.
• Put sandwiches on grill and press down with a metal spatula, then grill, turning once, until heated through and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes total.

GRILLED EGGPLANT PANINI WITH BASIL AIOLI

Steps:

• For aioli, place the first 8 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. , Brush vegetables with oil. Place in broiling pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat, or grill, covered, over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes per side. Chop the peppers when cool enough to handle. , Spread cut sides of each roll with 2 tablespoons aioli; top each with cheese. Layer bottoms with eggplant and peppers. Replace tops., In a panini press, grill sandwiches until cheese is melted, 5-7 minutes. Serve remaining aioli with sandwiches or save for another use.

GRILLED EGGPLANT, ARUGULA AND MOZZARELLA PANINI

Steps:

• Brush eggplant slices with oil on both sides and place in a George Foreman grill--or panini grill-- cook 4 minutes, remove.
• Brush bread slices with oil.
• On 4 slices, oil side down, arrange eggplant, arugula, and mozzarella, top with 4 bread slices oil side up add 2 sandwiches to grill, close and cook 3-4 minutes.
• Repeat.
• Cut sandwiches on diagonal and serve.