1 / 1
Marinato Sandwich
The Marinato is a hearty sandwich built around a thick, chunky roasted tomato and olive sauce. It pairs the rich vegetable spread with freshly roasted red bell peppers and creamy mozzarella cheese on crisp stirato bread. This satisfying meal works perfectly for a robust lunch or a casual weeknight dinner. The bright acidity of balsamic vinegar cuts through the savory garlic and sweet roasted peppers, creating a perfectly balanced bite.
Ingredients
- 2 lb/1 kg grape tomatoes (about
- 3 pints/1 kg)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 4 oz/100 g black or green pitted olives (or a mix), coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp/30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp/30 ml balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp/1.5 g kosher salt
- 3 large red bell peppers
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ of a stirato (about 7 inches/ 18 cm; see here )
- 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- 1Slice the fresh mozzarella cheese and set it aside for assembly.
- 2Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) to prepare the sauce. Mix the grape tomatoes, minced garlic, diced red onion, chopped olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and kosher salt together in a shallow saucepan.
- 3Roast the tomato mixture for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir the ingredients occasionally until the tomatoes burst and the top looks slightly dry, keeping the texture thick and chunky.
- 4Char the red bell peppers directly over a gas stove flame for a firmer texture. Rotate them frequently until the skin turns completely black on all sides.
- 5Roast the peppers on a sheet pan in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes as an alternative method for a softer texture, cooking until they collapse and blacken.
- 6Transfer the hot, charred peppers to a bowl and seal it tightly with plastic wrap. Let them sit so the trapped steam loosens the skins as they cool.
- 7Peel the skins off the cooled peppers under running water. Remove and discard the stems and seeds.
- 8Cut the cleaned peppers into half-inch (1-cm) strips and place them in a storage container. Pour in enough olive oil to cover them, then crush the peeled garlic cloves and add them to the oil.
- 9Cut the stirato bread in half lengthwise to build the sandwich. Spread about two-thirds of a cup (160 ml) of the roasted tomato sauce over the bread, then top with the sliced mozzarella, prepared red peppers, and fresh basil leaves.