Grilled Avocado Sandwich with Garlic Spread

There's no shortage of amazing Italian restaurants in Philadelphia. When we moved to the South, I realized I'd taken this abundance for granted.That's why I was so happy to find, just a few blocks from our new home, the delicious Italian cafe that inspired the creation of this warm vegetarian sandwich.

The bright, bold flavor notes of feta cheese, tomato, and garlic compliment the mellow mozzarella and unctuous avocado.

Recipe below...

Notes:

• This sandwich can also be made using a panini or sandwich press. Be careful not to press down too firmly; the avocado is slippery and can be easily pressed out of the sandwich.
• A perfectly ripe avocado will be somewhat firm, yielding only slightly as you press it with your fingers.
• To check for over-ripeness, remove the stem from the avocado. The underside should be a light, whitish-green. If it's dark brown, the avocado is overly ripe and the avocado will likely have brown spots throughout the flesh.

The Recipe:

Sandwich:
1 loaf ciabatta or other Italian bread
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup garlic spread (recipe below)
1 avocado, cut into thin slices, sprinkled with salt and pepper
1 medium tomato, cut into thin slices
10-12 thin slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Remove a small amount of the inside of ciabatta loaf, creating a hollow in the center of the loaf to make room for the filling. Slice the ciabatta loaf, on an angle, into 3-4 sandwich-sized pieces. Slice each piece in half, lengthwise. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto the outside of each piece of bread, so that both the top and bottom halves of each sandwich have oil on the outside of the bread. Slather some garlic spread onto the inside of the bottom half of each sandwich, reserving any leftover spread for a later use. Onto the bottom half of each sandwich, place 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese, 2-3 slices of tomato, 3-4 slices of avocado, and about 2 tablespoons of feta cheese. Firmly place the top piece of bread onto each sandwich.

Brush a grill pan or griddle with a small amount of olive oil, and place over medium-high heat. Place the sandwiches onto the hot pan. Place a heavy pan on top of the sandwiches to weigh them down, careful not to squeeze the filling out of the sandwiches. After 3-4 minutes, use a spatula or tongs to carefully flip the sandwiches, and another 3-4 minutes, until cheese is completely melted.

Cool for a few minutes and serve.

Garlic Spread:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Place mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Slowly add the the olive oil, whisking until incorporated.

Comments

[Gail]

Another good one, great photos, makes me hungry. Love the garlic spread, would be good with many sandwiches.

[Beverly Gray]

It's been more than a week since I have had time to check into 3zestylemons, and I'm so glad I did. The Marinara Sauce recipe looks yum, but the grilled avacado sandwich with garlic spread has my mouth watering already. It's another must try.

Again, the photos are inspiring.