CRISPY EGGPLANT SANDWICHES AND ROASTED GARLIC AND RICOTTA SPREAD

Many days we eat sandwiches for breakfast or lunch, but this particular sandwich is hearty enough to have for supper. The key is to choose a good eggplant—the fresher the better. Look for a smooth skin and no soft spots. Here, we pair the crispy eggplant with arugula, tomato sauce, and roasted garlic ricotta spread.

3 cups torn fresh bread (ciabatta or French bread)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning mix

1 medium eggplant (makes about 12 slices)

Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper (to taste)

1 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)

2 large eggs, beaten

2 ½ teaspoons olive oil, divided

4 ciabatta or sesame kaiser rolls

2 cups arugula

1 cup Vegetable-Packed Tomato Sauce (page 229)

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (more for garnish)

Roasted Garlic and Ricotta Spread (recipe follows)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Make bread crumbs from the fresh bread by adding the torn bread and the Italian seasoning to the work bowl of your food processor. Pulse until the bread has broken down into a fine crumb. Place bread crumbs in a medium bowl and set aside.

Slice the eggplant ¼- to ½ inch thick. Sprinkle each slice with salt and pepper to taste. Set up a line of three medium bowls. The first bowl should contain the flour, the second the eggs, and the third the bread crumbs. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, shake off the excess, dip the slice in the egg, and then roll it in the bread crumbs to coat. Arrange the eggplant slices on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle each with ⅛ teaspoon of olive oil and put them into the oven. After 15 minutes, flip the slices and drizzle each slice with more olive oil. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Remove the eggplant and warm your bread in the oven. Assemble the sandwich like this: arugula, three slices of eggplant, ⅛ cup warm tomato sauce, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Spread some Roasted Garlic and Ricotta Spread on the underside of the top bun.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

ROASTED GARLIC AND RICOTTA SPREAD

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3 cloves garlic (in their papery skins)

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

The fast way to roast garlic is to put the garlic cloves skin-on into a dry, hot skillet. Allow them to cook until the skin is blackened. Let them cool, and inside the burnt skin you’ll find a soft, smoky, sweet clove of garlic.

Using a fork mix the ricotta, roasted garlic cloves, and Parmesan together in a small bowl.

Makes 1 ¼ cups.