Grilled Cheese with Eggplant and Ricotta

These crispy grilled sandwiches are filled with eggplant and ooze with 2 kinds of cheese: ricotta and fontina.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 1108 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
• 1 large eggplant
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, or to taste
• 8 leaves fresh basil
• 16 slices fontina cheese
• 1 loaf Italian bread
• 2 medium tomatoes

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Slice Italian bread info 8 thick slices. Slice each tomato into 4 slices.

Step 2

Remove some of the skin from the eggplant, leaving the rest of the skin on for a striped look. Slice the eggplant into eight 1/2-inch rounds.

Step 3

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season eggplant with salt and pepper; cook until soft, about 5 minutes per side. Watch that it does not burn. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Step 4

Spread ricotta over 4 slices of bread. Top each with 2 eggplant slices and 2 tomato slices. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Tear 2 basil leaves over each sandwich. Add 4 slices of fontina cheese. Spread butter over the remaining slices of bread and place over the cheese, buttered sides up.

Step 5

Melt remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches to the skillet with the dry side down. Cover with a piece of foil and place a heavy pan on top. Toast sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip over and cover again. Cook until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes more.