Grilled Ratatouille Muffuletta

Grilled Ratatouille Muffuletta

Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Few notes. Though it’s not easy to find real muffuletta bread outside of New Orleans (unless if you travel all the way to Sicily, where it originates), a whole wheat country loaf or whole wheat focaccia can work as well. Also it’s up to you to decide how spicy you want the olive spread to be. I like a good kick but I get that not everybody shares my passion.

Ingredients

Serves 4 very hungry

½ cup / 3.2 oz / 90 gr pitted olives (black and green)

½ cup / 1 oz / 30 gr fresh parsley

2 tablespoons capers

1 chili pepper, deseeded (or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

fine grain sea salt, as needed

1 medium eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds

2 medium tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch rounds

1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise ¼-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise into strips

1 medium round loaf rustic whole wheat bread, split horizontally and hollowed out

Directions

In a colander toss eggplant with ¾ teaspoon salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

In the meantime, in a food processor, pulse olives, parsley, capers, chili pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and vinegar until pureed. Set aside.

Heat a grill or a grill pan to medium. Lightly toss eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and red bell pepper with olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 4 4 minutes for tomatoes and 7 minutes for eggplant, zucchini and pepper.

Spread bread with olive mixture. Assemble sandwich with eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes.

Wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or if you are in hurry serve immediately.