Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches

   This recipe is more about assembling than it is cooking,but when using the best ingredients,it is delicious!!Each week,I visit the local italian food store ,or the italian stand at the farmer's market.I purchase the ingredients for this sandwich,then head home to make them.It is important to only use FRESH mozzarella,not the hard block you find at the grocery store.The peppers I buy are marinated in oil and garlic,giving them tons of flavor.You can roast your own peppers,and make your own pesto(recipe below), but for those summer days when you want to get up and moving,it doesn't get any easier or tastier than this.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of good,crust italian bread
pesto
fresh mozzarella or smoked mozzarella
roasted peppers
olive oil

   Slice the italian bread.Spread one side with about one Tbsp. of pesto.Place two slices mozzarella on top,followed by the  roasted peppers.Top with another slice of bread.

   Brush a skillet with a little bit of olive oil,then place the sandwiches in the skillet.Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes,or until golden.Flip the sandwich,and cook until crisp and golden.

Pesto:(Barefoot Contessa Recipe)
4-5 c. packed fresh basil leaves
8-9 cloves of fresh garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 c. freshly grated parmesan
1/4 c. pignoli nuts
1/4 c. walnuts
1-1/2 c. very good olive oil

    Place all of the ingredients except the  oil in a food processor.Blend until combined.With the machine running,slowly add the oil  and process until combined,about one minute.

   The pesto can be frozen,just pour it into small freezer safe containers,and add about one teaspoon of olive oil on top to coat .Seal and freeze for later use.

 For those of you not familiar with pignolis,this is what they look like.

***This can also be made as an open-faced sandwich,just use one slice of bread,top with pesto,peppers,and mozzarella,and bake under the broiler.

**This sandwich can also be made using a panini press.Feel free to add additional ingredients such as tomato,grilled eggplant,grilled zucchini,or even grilled chicken.Enjoy!