Sir Henry's Italian Sandwich

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 loaf(s), Italian, approx. 500 g
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100 g rocket
• 5 tomatoes, dried in oil
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 m.-large zucchini
• 100 g leaf spinach, frozen
• 150 g cheese (Gouda)
• olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• Oregano, dried
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Italian vegetarian sandwich

Lightly roast a finely chopped garlic clove in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add the thawed and squeezed spinach leaves and sauté in the oil for about 3 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into strips about 3 mm thick and roast in a pan with a little olive oil. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices; if they are very watery, remove as much liquid as possible. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into strips. Briefly dry-roast the fennel seeds in a pan and then finely crush them in a mortar. Cut the bread lengthwise and lightly toast the insides in a grill pan or under the oven broiler. Rub the toasted surfaces with a sliced ​​garlic clove. Now cover one side of the bread with the ingredients (spinach, zucchini, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and rocket), season well with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fennel seed powder and a little oregano (crushed between your fingers), and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Cover the other side with the Gouda and lightly brown it under the broiler or with a blowtorch. Fold both halves together and cut into manageable sandwich pieces. Wrap each one individually in some greaseproof paper or secure with a wooden skewer to prevent them from falling apart. The “Italian bread Rustico” from Reichelt/Edeka is best for the bread; otherwise, use a regular ciabatta (but preferably not the one you’ll be baking). Other similar cheeses can be used instead of the Gouda. The quantities are estimates, and the ingredients can be easily adjusted according to taste: roasted bell peppers, grilled fennel bulb, smoked ham, etc. are also not a bad addition to the sandwich; this recipe should be seen as a basic recipe.