note: If you prefer, roast the vegetables on a baking sheet in a 200°c oven until browned.
What You Need
- 1 Wholewheat Ciabatta (16″-18″ long), cut crosswise into quarters and split
- 200ml + 1½ Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
- 60ml + 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ a small butternut squash, peeled and sliced diagonally (¼” thick)
- 1 courgette, sliced diagonally (¼” thick)
- 1 red pepper, cut into flat pieces
- 1 yellow pepper, cut into flat pieces
- 3 field mushrooms (the big flat ones)
- half a small butternut squash peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 plum tomatoes, sliced
- handful of fresh spinach
- 250g ricotta (with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice mixed through)
- Optional… Couple of tablespoons of caramelised red onion chutney
- WHISK together ½ of the oil and the 60ml balsamic vinegar in large bowl with the chilli.
- Season with black pepper to taste.
- Add squash, courgette and peppers to the bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.
- HEAT 1 Tbsp of the oil in medium frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Saute mushrooms until just golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp vinegar,
- Reduce heat to medium, and cook until liquid is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from heat.
- HEAT lightly oiled grill pan over medium heat.
- Working in batches, REMOVE vegetables from the outrageous marinade (reserve marinade) and gently pan-fry
- Keep turning,until golden brown and tender, 4 to 6 minutes for squash and courgette and a bit longer for the peppers and squash
- TOSS tomatoes in marinade while vegetables are cooking
- MIX together in small bowl.
- PUT bottom ciabatta halves on work surface and spread with the Caramelised onion chutney.
- TOP evenly with, courgettes, squash, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach.
- Lay the chicken pieces on top. Try not to eat any. I have never managed this.
- Spread the top half of the sandwich with the ricotta mixture and close the sandwich.
- BRUSH both sides of sandwiches with remaining ½ Tbsp oil.
- RETURN pan to medium heat (or use panini press if you are posh).
- Cook sandwiches (placing a heavy lid/pan or similar on top of them to squish them down), turning once, until golden about 3 minutes)
You will need to share this.
OOH – it’s nice!
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