Peppergus Open Face Sandwiches are my family's new favorite sandwich. Fresh, soft, good quality French bread, toasted with garlic and butter. Then spread on some pesto and add roasted asparagus and red bell peppers. Lay several slices of fresh Mozzarella on top and then broil for 5-6 minutes.
If you are a balsamic vinegar lover, like my family, drizzle on a thin line of balsamic vinegar or use a balsamic vinegar reduction.
We could not stop eating these sandwiches this week! I have purchased four loaves of French bread. Each loaf makes eight sandwiches. Now you do the math! So many sandwiches have been made between Thursday and Saturday. Have I convinced you yet? Run down and pick up some spring vegetables and make these today!
How to Make
Peppergus Open Faced Sandwiches
1. Slice the loaf of French bread on the diagonal. This will give you a large surface to lay on lots of roasted, spring vegetables. Chop the garlic into small pieces or grate it. Spread butter on the bread and drop pieces of garlic on them. Use a knife or your fingers and push the garlic into the butter.
2. Snap off the ends of the asparagus. There is a natural break to each stalk. Just pick it up and hold on to both ends and start to bend. You will hear the most delightful snap. Continue until all asparagus has the hard, woody bottom part broken off.
3. Lay the asparagus on a small cookie sheet or a plate and pour on about 3 Tbsp. of olive oil. Roll the asparagus back and forth until all stalks have some oil on them. Then sprinkle heavily with salt and pepper.
4. Lay the stalks down in a fry pan or on a grill pan on medium high heat. This is the pan I use and I love it! I use it to grill foods inside on my stove when it is too cold to go outside and grill on my gas BBQ.
5. Cook the asparagus until it has turned bright green and you can start to see grill marks on them. Use tongs and turn frequently so they are cooked evenly on all sides.
6. Once the asparagus has finished cooking, place it on a cutting board and let it cool while you are working on the bell peppers.
7. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and take out the seeds. Cut the peppers in large pieces. Lay these on the same cookie sheet you used before. Move them all around in the left over olive oil or add more if you feel you need some. Sprinkle heavily with salt and pepper.
8. Place these on the grill pan and continue to cook on medium high until you see char marks on them. Turn all the pieces several times until the peppers are soft.
9. Hungry? You can stop right now and eat all those roasted, fresh vegetables or continue on to make the most delicious sandwiches ever!
10. Place the buttered bread on the grill. Once the bread as been on the heat for about 30-60 seconds, you will see lovely char marks. Take the bread off when you see these. Spread a thin layer of pesto on the bread.
11. Turn on the oven broiler. Make sure the oven rack is high enough to heat everything up. I like mine on the second position from the top.
12. Chop up the asparagus and bell peppers into small, bite-sized pieces. Lay the toasted bread slices on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle the vegetables on the slices of bread.
13. Cover each slice of bread with two slices of fresh Mozzarella. Broil for 5-6 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and oozes over the tops of the bread and vegetables.
14. Take out of the oven and drizzle on balsamic vinegar straight from the bottle, or use a balsamic vinegar glaze.
Let me know on Instagram or Pinterest if you make this.
Post a picture and tag me @dinasdiner. I want to know how it turns out.
Peppergus Open Face Sandwiches
1 Bunch of Asparagus
2 Red, Orange or Yellow Bell Peppers
1 Loaf French Bread
1/4 C. Butter
2 Cloves Garlic
1 pound Fresh Mozzarella
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Cup Pesto
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Salt and Pepper
1. Snap off woody ends of asparagus. Cut off the tops and deseed the bell peppers. Cut into 2 x 2 pieces.
2. Roast the stalks of asparagus that have been rolled in olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
3. When done, take asparagus out of the pan onto a cutting board.
4. Roast large pieces of the bell peppers that have been sprinkled with olive oil and salt and pepper.
5. When they are done, take the pepper out of the pan and place on a cutting board.
6. Slice French bread on the diagonal into 8 pieces and spread with softened butter.
7. Cut up or grate garlic cloves. Sprinkle pieces of garlic on each slice. Use a knife or fingers to push into butter.
8. Toast on hot grill pan.
9. When grill marks appear on the bread, take off and spread a little pesto on each slice. Place these on a large cookie sheet.
10. Heat oven broiler on high.
11. Cut up asparagus and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces.
12. Sprinkle on top of bread slices and then top with two slices of Fresh Mozzarella.
13. Bake for 5-6 minutes.
14. Take out of the oven and drizzle on balsamic vinegar or glaze.
Don't like the name Peppergus? Help me out! Send me a comment with a better name for these sandwiches!!
