Ciabatta with feta and vegetables
A feast of colourful vegetables makes a superb topping for a pizza-style ciabatta. The bread soaks up the aromatic roasting juices so that it is deliciously moist with a crunchy crust. If you want to boost your vegetable intake even more, serve it with a leafy herb salad.
4 tomatoes, diced
1⁄4 cup low-sodium tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 ciabattas, halved horizontally
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 eggplant, thinly sliced widthwise
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
6 scallions, halved widthwise and cut into stripspinch of chili flakes (optional)
100 grams (3 1⁄2 oz) feta cheese, drained and finely crumbled
1.Heat the oven to 465°F (240°C). Mix the tomatoes, tomato paste and half the crushed garlic in a large bowl. Spread over the breads and set aside. In the same bowl, combine the rosemary, fennel seeds, olive oil and remaining garlic.
2.Lay the eggplant slices and pepper strips on a baking tray and brush sparingly all over with some of the herb oil. Bake for 8 minutes until the slices are just beginning to soften. Turn and bake for a further 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 425°F (220°C).
3.Stir the cider vinegar and sugar into the remaining oil. Add the scallions, chili flakes (if using) and some pepper to season. Add the pepper strips and mix well.
4.Top the bread with half the mixed pepper mixture, cover with overlapping eggplant slices, then pile the remaining pepper mixture on top, drizzling over all the herb oil in the bowl. Place the ciabbatas on the same baking tray that was used for roasting the vegetables. Top with the feta, pressing it down lightly with a fork, and bake for 10–15 minutes until the feta is golden and the vegetables are browned. Serve two ciabatta halves per portion.
Serves 4
Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 35 minutes
Each serving
18 g protein • 22.5 g fat of which 6 g saturates • 61.5 g carbohydrate • 10.5 g fibre • 543 Calories
