Bresaola, Roasted Vegetables Sandwiches with Grana Padano Rocket Pesto

15 minutes
to cook

GRANA PADANO SPONSORED RECIPE If you get chance, prepare the antipasti the day before, this allows the flavours to mingle, you could also use a ciabatta loaf, if you prefer.

The sandwich is layered with rocket and Grana Padano pesto, roasted vegetables, bresaola, and slices of rich and savoury Grana Padano cheese. Wrap the sandwiches individually in baking paper, tie with string and take to your picnic or summer festival.

Makes 6-8; Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes overnight marinating; Cooking time: 15 minutes; Difficulty: Easy

Method

1. Place the olive oil in a large bowl and season well, add the aubergines and turn to coat.
2. Place the peppers, skin side up on a baking tray and place under a hot grill. Cook until the skins have blackened and blistered. Remove to a bowl, cover and allow to cool slightly and sweat. Peel off the skins and return to the bowl.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large griddle pan over a medium-high heat and cook the aubergines until you have good griddle marks on both sides, and they have softened. Place in a bowl, with the skinned peppers.
4. Add the courgettes to the oil in the bowl and stir to coat, then griddle on each side until softened. Add to the aubergines and peppers.
5. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic and pour over the warm vegetables, stir well then cover and allow to cool and marinate. (Once cooked they will keep refrigerated for 3 days).
6. To make the Grana Padano pesto, place the garlic and salt into the bowl of a small food processor and pulse. Add the pine nuts and pulse until roughly chopped, add the rocket and pulse again until it is well mixed, but still has some texture.
7. Scrape into a bowl and stir through the Grana Padano cheese and lemon zest. Pour in the olive oil and mix well until you have a juicy paste and season to taste.
8. Cut the focaccia bread in half horizontally, spread the inside of the top and bottom of the bread with half of the pesto. Layer up the loaf, starting with some rocket leaves, half of the antipasti vegetable mix, the bresaola, the Grana Padano cheese, and drizzle over a little extra pesto. Finish with the remaining vegetables and rocket leaves.
9. Place the lid of the loaf over the top and press together gently, wrap tightly in foil or cling film and weigh down for 1 hour. Cut into 6-8 squares and, if you like, secure each with a cocktail stick.

Ingredients

1 focaccia loaf (about 400g)
80g bresaola
75g Grana Padano PDO, thinly sliced
25g rocket leaves
FOR THE VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 aubergine, cut lengthways into 0.5 cm slices
1 red, yellow, orange pepper, cored, deseeded and each quartered
1 courgette, cut on the diagonal 1 cm thick slices
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
FOR THE GRANA PADANO ROCKET PESTO
1 small garlic clove, peeled
Pinch of sea salt
25g toasted pine nuts
50g wild rocket
25g Grana Padano PDO, finely grated
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
125ml extra virgin olive oil

Equipment

Baking tray
Bowl
Griddle pan
Mini food processor