Tomato and Crispy Aubergine Focaccia Sandwich

The perfect way to use up those end of summer tomatoes - in a crisp, flavour packed focaccia sandwich!

Done in 30 minutes

Serves 2

Dish by Mia Jacobs

Ingredients

The crispy sesame aubergine

60gplain flour

1/2 tspMSG

1 tspgarlic granules

45gplain flour

82gplant based milk

60gpanko breadcrumbs

3 tbspsesame seeds

1/2 tspMSG

1/2 tspgarlic granules

to tastesalt

1aubergine, sliced into 1cm discs

The other fillings

1tomato (eg. beefsteak)

3 tbspvegan mayo

2.5 tspcrispy chilli oil

a squeezelime or lemon juice

a handfulleafy greens (lambs/corn lettuce)

2generous slabs of focaccia, halved

Tomatoes, aubergine, chilli oil mayo and leafy greens are a match made in heaven. Shove them into a bouncy, oily focaccia and you've got yourself something truly magical.

Method

Start by dredging the aubergine. Grab 3 bowls, mix the flour with the seasonings in one bowl, the the milk and flour into another and finally the panko, sesame and seasonings into the last bowl.

One by one, place the aubergine slices first into the flour mixture, then the batter, then the seasoned panko. Place each prepared piece onto a plate and leave for 5 mins to allow the coating to bind to the aubergine.

Heat 200ml-300ml vegetable oil a large high sided frying pan. Once hot (bubbles should appear around the base of a wooden spoon when inserted into the oil) gently lower in the slices of battered aubergine.

Fry on each side for a few minutes until a deep golden brown. Remove and place in a sieve or plate lined with kitchen towel to soak up excess oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and set to one side.

Thickly the tomatoes (around 1.5cm) and season on both sides with a pinch of salt.

Mix the mayo, chilli oil and lime juice, and season to taste then prepare to assemble the sandwiches.

Slice open the bread and load each sandwich up with mayo, the fried aubergine, tomatoes, leaves and the lid of the sandwich slathered with even more chilli oil mayo. Enjoy!

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Mia Jacobs

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Mia is a self-taught cook with an obsession with street food and an absolute hatred for parsnips. Before joining Twisted Green, Mia founded an online vegan cooking school in the midst of the global pandemic and began teaching people all over the world how to cook incredible vegan food from the comfort of their own homes. Her mission was, and still is, to help transform kitchens everywhere from a daunting space to one that’s filled with the irresistible aroma of frying garlic, and some very special plant-based grub. She also believes that crisps and hummus are a gift to humanity.