PANERA BREAD

Grilled Vegetable Panini

PANERA USES THEIR OWN THREE CHEESE BREAD FOR THIS SANDWICH OF GRILLED

VEGETABLES, PESTO, AND CHEESE. YOU CAN FIND A SIMILAR BREAD IN THE DELI

SECTION OF LARGE MARKETS OR AT SPECIALTY FOOD STORES. A LOAF OF FRENCH OR

ITALIAN BREAD WOULD ALSO WORK WELL.

1 loaf cheese bread or other bread

1 / 2 cup pesto 1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 Japanese eggplant, sliced diagonally 1 / 4 -inch thick 2 small red bell peppers, seeded and quartered lengthwise 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise in

1 / 4 -inch strips 1 / 2 small red onion, sliced thin 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 / 2 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1. Light a charcoal barbecue or heat a gas grill to medium. Clean the grate and coat it with vegetable oil.

2. Cut 6 1 / 2 -inch oval slices from the center of the bread. Spread 3 slices with the pesto, and top the other 3 with the mozzarella.

3. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini , and onion until just tender and lightly charred.

4. Arrange the vegetables over the cheese, trimming them to fit, if necessary, and top with the sun-dried tomatoes. Top with the bread with pesto.

5. Put the sandwiches on the grill and toast both sides, turning carefully and pressing down with a weight, such as a fry pan.

6. Cut sandwiches in half and serve hot.

Serves 3 to 6

Use a panini press for making these sandwiches individually. If using a grill or barbecue, it might be easier to use slices of mozzarella rather than shreddedf or a