These are kind of weird, but good. I’m not much into vegetarian food, but this recipe did catch my eye in an old Bon Appetit issue.
Please note that the “smash” part of the recipe seems to be more of a gimmick than a path to a better sandwich. I don’t think you necessarily need to smash the mushrooms to make the sandwich turn out delicious, though it will press out some of mushroom moisture when cooking.
This recipe makes two sandwiches.
What you’ll need
- 2T pesto
- 1 lb. large mushrooms (think portobello)
- 2T + 2t vegetable oil
- Some type of bread or roll, such as a demi-baguette, ciabatta, etc.
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- Enough basil leaves to cover two sandwiches
- 0.25 cups sliced and drained pickled cherry peppers (I omitted these)
What to do
Cut and toast the bread you’re using for the sandwich. Let it cool on a rack, after it’s toasted.
Put the pesto in a large bowl and set aside.
If using portobellos, pull off the stems and scrape off the “gills.” Tear the mushrooms into large pieces, or you could thickly slice them.
Heat 1T of oil in a large heavy frypan over medium-high heat. Cast iron works best in this case. You’ll probably have to do this in two batches: lay a single layer of mushrooms across the bottom of the frypan and let them cook until they start to sizzle. Using whatever tool you want to use for “smashing” the mushrooms, such as another frypan that nestles into the one in which you’re cooking, press down on the mushrooms. If you’re cooking on a glass-top stove, go easy enough so you don’t shatter your cooktop. Continue cooking the mushrooms while smashing them until they are browned underneath—about 3 minutes. Remove the smashing tool, salt the mushrooms, add more oil and turn them over for 3 more minutes of smashing and cooking. Add the ‘shrooms to the pesto bowl when they’re done. If you didn’t cook all the mushrooms in the first batch, repeat the process for the second batch.
Now it’s time to assemble the sandwiches.
Rub the garlic on the inside of the toasted bread, then discard the remainder. For each sandwich, arrange the mushrooms on the sandwich bottom in a singer layer. Season with a little black pepper, then lay the mozzarella on top, followed by the cherry peppers (if using) and basil. Top the sandwich, cut it in half, then serve.
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