We all deserve a picnic or two in this weather. So why not make some ciabatta sandwich with grilled veggies and sundried tomato vinaigrette? These can be made for a quick lunch in the garden, on the stove, or made ahead and taken on a road trip. That is what makes sandwiches so great. They are universal.
I love making a good sandwich on ciabatta because that is one of my favorite kinds of bread. The shape of it makes for easy cutting and filling and it can be pressed down for maximum enjoyment.
To make these ciabatta sandwiches you will need bread, summer veggies for grilling, tomatoes and avocado, some summer lettuce, and a nice vinaigrette. The vinaigrette will work as a sauce and can be made in a food processor too if you want it to be smoother. But I don’t mind chunks of sundried tomatoes in mine. So that is completely optional. And of course mozzarella. I like using fresh mozzarella for its texture and taste.
I make my vinaigrette by adding the ingredients to a jar and shaking until combined. That is the easiest way. Unless you need it for a marinade or to be spreadable, there is no need to dirty a blender or a food processor. Vinaigrettes made in a jar are the ultimate hack for any salads, sandwiches, and even pasta. This Italian ciabatta sandwich is the ultimate summer recipe. You can prepare the vegetables on an actual grill or just use a griddle pan and the stove-top.
For easier eating and serving I tend to flatten it for 10-15 minutes under a cutting board and a heavy pot. After that, it is easier to cut and eat. But that step is completely optional.
If you are a kitchen or bread-making guru, go ahead and make your own ciabatta too. Since it is too hot to even cook anything on the stove, I will lay off baking for a while, but this recipe and guide is a really good ciabatta-making one.
Even my husband, who for some old-fashioned reasons always asks if there is any meat in the dish, didn’t this time. He is not a hard-core veggie lover like me, but these grilled zucchinis and eggplants are always a big hit. This ciabatta sandwich is very versatile and there are thousands of different ways to fill any kind of bread. But this recipe can be prepared on the grill and is relatively quick. In about 20-30 minutes you can get yourself a fantastic sandwich on ciabatta bread that goes well with any salad and grilled meats. Or maybe a cold gazpacho or two.
Grilled veggie ciabatta sandwich with sundried tomato vinaigrette
Equipment
- Griddle pan or a grill
Ingredients
Ciabata sandwich
- 1 whole ciabatta
- 1 small eggplant
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 heirloom tomato
- 1 avocado
- Fresh summer lettuce
- 3 whole mozzarellas
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Sundried tomato vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves grated garlic
- ½ jar of sundried tomatoes chopped
- 150 g extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh herbs
Instructions
- Thinly slice the eggplant and zucchini using a mandolin or a sharp knife
- Place in a bowl and mix with salt, pepper and olive oil
- Heat your grill, griddle pan or just a regular pan and grill the zucchini and eggplant from both sides until nice charr lines form, about 2 minutes per slice of vegetable
- Meanwhile prepare the sundried tomato vinaigrette by chopping the sundried tomatoes and grating the garlic
- Place all of the ingredients in a jar, close the lid and shake until mixed
- Cut a ciabatta in half lengthwise and grill for a minute or two just to get some crunchiness
- Slice the tomato and avocado
- Chop some lettuce
- On the bread layer your ingredients and add the sauce at the bottom and at the top
- Close the sandwich and put a cuting board on top
- Place a heavy pot on top and let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing
- Serve as is or heat a bit on the grill so the cheese melts