Saturday's Brunch
Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch eaten usually during the late morning, but it can extend to as late as 3pm.
Ciabatta means 'slipper' in italian and describes the appearance of this oval, flattish yeast bread with an open texture and crisp, floury crust. It is flavoured mostly with olive oil and toasts well.
So why not combine both??!... A soothing mouth-watering ciabatta for Brunch
Grilled vegetable, Ricotta Ciabatta
Olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes and lot and lots of fresh herbs is the secret to this vegetarian bread. Creamy Ricotta smoothes out the sharp flavour of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
1 long ciabatta, sliced in half lengthwise
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 cup ricotta cheese
2-3 tsp store-bought basil pesto
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4-6 slices of coppa (or any proscuitto)
1 zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
1 aubergine, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
1 tsp olive oil
2 handful Potato crisps
Method:
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Add the zucchini and aubergine slices to a bowl and toss with the teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, until coated. Grill the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until tender.
While keeping an eye on those vegetables, spread the ricotta cheese on the base of the ciabatta, and the pesto on the other half (top). Season with salt and pepper, especially the ricotta to enhance its flavour. Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the ricotta base.
As the vegetables are cooked, layer them on the bottom half of the ciabatta. Arrange the coppa or proscuitto over the vegetables. Place the top half of the ciabatta on top of the filling and toast for a few minutes, using a sandwich grill toaster.
To serve, cut in half and place in 2 separate plates, adding a handful of potato crisps on the side.
Enjoy xx
Serving tip: This recipe can also be added to the list of picnic/beach food, to relax and enjoy the moment.
Have a great weekend :)
