In these crowd-pleasing sandwiches, verdant broccoli is layered alongside herbaceous basil pesto, creamy, melty mozzarella cheese-all sandwiched between golden brown baguettes. To cut through the richness, we're serving it all with a ranch-dressed side salad dotted with bites of roasted red peppers.
35 min
2 Servings
Vegetarian
880 Cals
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into small florets. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Halve the baguettes. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces.
In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the broccoli florets; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the broccoli is softened and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.
Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the halved baguettes on the foil, cut side up. Top the bottom halves with the pesto, prosciutto (removing the plastic lining between the slices), cooked broccoli, and mozzarella pieces. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Leaving the sandwiches open, toast in the oven, rotating the sheet pan halfway through, 9 to 11 minutes, or until the baguettes are lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Carefully transfer to a cutting board and let stand at least 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the lettuce. Roughly chop the peppers. Crumble the Grana Padano into small pieces. Combine in a large bowl. Just before serving, add the ranch dressing. Toss to thoroughly coat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Finish the toasted sandwiches using the top halves of the baguettes, then halve crosswise on an angle. Serve the sandwiches with the salad on the side. Enjoy!