Grilled Cheese with Eggplant and Ricotta
Description
These crispy grilled sandwiches are filled with eggplant and ooze with 2 kinds of cheese: ricotta and fontina.
Ingredients
•
1 loaf Italian bread
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2 medium tomatoes
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1 large eggplant
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1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
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salt and ground black pepper to taste
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1 cup ricotta cheese
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8 leaves fresh basil
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16 slices fontina cheese
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2 tablespoons salted butter, or to taste
Directions
1
Slice Italian bread info 8 thick slices. Slice each tomato into 4 slices.
2
Remove some of the skin from the eggplant, leaving the rest of the skin on for a striped look. Slice the eggplant into eight 1/2-inch rounds.
3
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season eggplant with salt and pepper; cook until soft, about 5 minutes per side. Watch that it does not burn. Remove to a plate and set aside.
4
Spread ricotta over 4 slices of bread. Top each with 2 eggplant slices and 2 tomato slices. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Tear 2 basil leaves over each sandwich. Add 4 slices of fontina cheese. Spread butter over the remaining slices of bread and place over the cheese, buttered sides up.
5
Melt remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches to the skillet with the dry side down. Cover with a piece of foil and place a heavy pan on top. Toast sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip over and cover again. Cook until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes more.