Submitted by:
Anushi Shah
Category:
Lunch
Country of Origin:
United States
Cook time:
30 minutes
Serves:
4
Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 small eggplant, sliced into rounds
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 slices sourdough bread
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
Hot sauce (to taste)
Steps:
1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan
2. Once oil is heated, cook sliced eggplant until tender. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
3. In the same pan, add the sliced red onions. Let cook until soft and brown. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, minced garlic, and hot sauce.
5. Spread mayonnaise mixture on one slice of sourdough bread. On the second slice of sourdough bread, layer two to three slices of cooked eggplant, a sprinkling of caramelized onions, baby spinach, and shredded mozzarella. Close the sandwich.
6. In a pan, grill the sandwich on both sides until cheese is melted and bread is slightly toasted. Serve warm.
What makes this recipe special?
I joke that if I ever had a sandwich named after me, this would be that sandwich. I threw this panini together one late night in graduate school and have been making it ever since.