Roasted Eggplant Sandwiches with White Bean Spread and Pesto

One of my new years resolutions was to have more meatless dinners. I originally was nervous, because I am not a giant fan of tofu, soy, or other vegetarian staples. I found this recipe and immediately fell in love with just the name. This sandwich is SO different from anything I’ve ever had, but it is so delicious! The white bean puree is filled with protein and fiber, the eggplant and onions are delicious and filled with vitamins and fiber to keep you full. The pesto of course can be homemade, but a good store bought pesto is just as well, and makes dinner even easier. The best news is the white bean puree and eggplant can be made days in advance and can be kept for weeks in the fridge.

Roasted Eggplant Sandwiches with White Bean Spread and Pesto

Cooking time: 35 minutes || Makes 4 sandwiches

 

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium red onion, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, juiced (plus ½ lemon from white bean puree)
2 tablespoons chives (optional)

8 slices fresh sourdough or country white bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices (or more, depending on how hungry you are!)
1/2 cup basil pesto (store bought is fine, I like Trader joes)
1/2 cup white bean spread (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss until fully coated, and then turn out onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Shake the pan to make sure the vegetables lie flat.

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. With a spatula, redistribute the vegetables so they brown on the opposite side, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are dark brown and caramelized. Watch the eggplant slices, as they can get mushy quickly. They should be just roasted through.

Remove to a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and chives, if using. (Eggplant can be make up to 2 days in advance). Let cool, slightly. (You can also cool to room temperature, I just liked the warm vegetables.)

Lay 2 slices of bread on a work surface. Slather each with pesto, and divide the eggplant and onions among the slices. Slather the remaining bread with the white bean spread, and top the sandwiches

White Bean Spread
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients
1 15-ounce can cannelloni or white beans
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dry thyme)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more depending on how thick puree is)
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a small food processor or blender, puree the beans, lemon juice, thyme, garlic, olive oil and salt. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if the mixture is still coarse, and puree until smooth.