Roasted Red Pepper & Italian Cheese Panini!

Red peppers are selling for 4.00 a pound here (green peppers: $3, yellow peppers: $5, and orange peppers: $6 per pound).  There is some serious legal highway robbery going on in our marketplace!  All the more reason that I'm grateful to grow our own fresh veggies in our garden.  Just one red pepper plant gifts us with a minimum of 6 peppers . . . that's PER plant!

This year we planted green, red, yellow, orange, and purple peppers and I know that with loving care they will continue to produce until the cool weather arrives (usually in late October to early November here).

I referred to Larry of "Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings" for advice on preserving all of our peppers.  Larry is an accomplished master gardener and has a weekly post with gardening tips every Thursday.  And he always answers every one of my questions!  So with his guidance, that little job of freezing peppers is behind me, at least for this week before more ripen next week to freeze more.  After that was finished, I quickly moved into roasting more peppers and freezing those as well.

However, one must taste and partake in one's labor, right?  There are so many excellent recipes for using red peppers and of the final ten that I saved, one simple recipe just screamed at me to make:  Ina Garten's Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich.

Adjustments that I made:  Since I'm not fond of goat cheese, I swapped that out and used a shredded 6-cheese Italian blend.  I always keep this bagged cheese on hand for simplicity, money savings, and to top home-made pizzas.  I added a top layer of cheese as well.  I also grilled them on a panini press to melt the cheese and re-heat the peppers that were cold from marinating in the frig.  Perfect choice!

I roasted the peppers a day earlier so I had that out of the way.

For Mr. Meat and Potatoes, we added smoked turkey and some prosciutto.  I chose the turkey for the mildness of flavor so that the peppers and basil could stay on center stage.  Genoa salami, capicola, and too much prosciutto would be too powerful for the peppers which are meant to be the star of the show in this sandwich.  Another recommendation:  keep the marinade from the peppers and use it for a dipping sauce for your sandwich.

This sandwich is simply indescribably and outstandingly delicioso!  What a wonderful, delightful flavor combination . . . and now one of my favorites!  The flavors are powerful, in perfect harmony, and addicting.  Trust me, this sammie is superb and full of perfect fresh flavors of roasted red peppers, fresh basil, cheese, capers, balsamic vinegar and EVOO.  You'll love this!

Roasted Red Pepper and Italian Cheese Panini
(adapted from Ina Garten)

4 large red bell peppers
1 large ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
1 bag 6-Italian cheese blend (replaced goat cheese)
8 to 10 large basil leaves
1/4 of a medium sized red onion, thinly sliced (I increased this from only 3 slices)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sliced smoked turkey (amount is up to your preferences) (optional)
Thinly sliced prosciutto (optional)

Marinade for the peppers:
2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons drained capers
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Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and bake on the highest rack in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them twice during roasting.
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover it tightly with aluminum foil.
Set aside for 30 minutes, or until the peppers are cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
.
After the peppers have roasted in the oven and cooled, remove the stems, peels, and seeds from each pepper (discard or compost).
Cut each pepper in half and then in half again (quartered).
Place the peppers in a bowl along with any juices that have collected.
Pour the olive oil and vinegar mixture over the peppers.
Stir in the capers.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.


Assembling the sandwiches:

Spread the bottom half of the ciabatta loaf with the cheese.
Add a layer of peppers.
Then add a layer of basil leaves.
Separate the red onions into rings and spread out on top.
I added another layer of peppers and capers on top of the red onion slices.
Then I drizzled some of the marinade all over everything.
Add the turkey and/or prosciutto at this time if you prefer.
Sprinkle very lightly with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

I also sprinkled another layer of cheese on top of everything.
Place the top half of the ciabatta bread on top.
Grill for 5 minutes on a panini press.
Cut into either entree or appetizer size servings.
Serve with a side dish of the marinade for dipping!

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