This roasted eggplant sandwich makes a simple vegetarian lunch you can enjoy at home or on the go. It's made with layers of freshly roasted eggplant, tomatoes, lettuce and sprouts and a simple olive tapenade for a unique a delicious splash of flavor.
Peel eggplant and cut into quarter inch slices. Lay the slices out on a baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip over the slices and repeat oil and seasoning.
Please tray in oven and cook for 15 minutes. Flip eggplant over after cooking for ten minutes to brown both sides.
Remove from oven when ready and allow to cool.
Make olive spread
Place well drained olives, capers, garlic and thyme in a food processor. Pulse to chop.
If there is excess liquid, transfer to a strainer to drain it off before adding the oil. Gradually add oil while the processor is running.
Transfer to a bowl and add pepper and lemon juice to taste. Place in refrigerator until ready to make your sandwich.
Prepare sandwich
After making the olive spread, gather and prep up the remaining sandwich ingredients.
When ready spread one slice of bread with olive paste and top with spinach, eggplant, tomatoes and sprouts. Add the top slice of bread and enjoy!
Notes
Use a hearty, crusty bread for the best flavor and texture. Personally I prefer a whole grain bread with the crunch of some seeds. Make sure drain the olives before making the spread. If after chopping them, they appear to have a lot of moisture, drain them before moving on. This will ensure that the spread isn’t overly wet which will contribute to a soggy sandwich.Experiment with making your own sprouts. It doesn’t really take all that much extra time and chia or quinoa sprouts can be ready in just a day or so.Buy your ingredients, especially the sprouts as close to the time you plan to eat so you know they are fresh.Make your sandwich within a few hours of your planned meal time for the freshest and best flavor.The eggplant on this sandwich can be served warm or cold.