Roasted Vegetable Pesto Panini Recipes

ROASTED VEGETABLE PESTO PANINI

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, salt and pepper - and cook until soft. Add artichoke hearts and remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, heat panini grill (or use a pan on stovetop). Take bread and spread butter on one side of the bread only. On the other side of bread, spread pesto sauce.
• To assemble sandwiches, turn butter side down and arrange roasted vegetables on the pesto side of four of the slices of bread. Add cheese on top of vegetables, and then place other piece of bread on top, butter side up.
• Place two sandwiches on the panini grill and cook until bread gets nice grill marks, and the cheese melts. Repeat with other two sandwiches. Serve immediately.

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and onions until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Cool completely.
• Cut each baguette into 6 pieces. Working with one baguette piece at a time, slice in half and spread both sides with the pesto. Working with the bottom slice of the baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place top half of baguette on top and continue with remaining baguette. (The sandwiches can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Yield: 1 cup
• Prep Time: 10 minutes

ROASTED VEGETABLE-PESTO PANINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Toss vegetables with vinaigrette in large bowl; spread onto 2 parchment-covered rimmed sheet pans.
• Bake 20 min. or until vegetables are tender.
• Heat greased panini grill. Mix mayo and pesto sauce until blended; spread onto bread slices.
• Fill with vegetables and cheese to make 4 sandwiches.
• Grill sandwiches, in batches if necessary, 4 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted and sandwiches are golden brown.

WARM PESTO ROAST VEG

Steps:

• Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. Rub the sliced veg with the oil, garlic, salt and black pepper, then place in a roasting tin in an even layer. Roast for 30 mins until golden and soft.
• Allow to cool slightly, then tip into a large bowl. Mix with the basil pesto, spinach leaves and toasted pine nuts, then serve.