Mediterranean Eggplant-Spinach Muffuletta

1. Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F. This will ensure it's ready for roasting the eggplant later.

2. Prepare Eggplant

Cut the eggplant into slices. Sprinkle the slices with kosher salt and place them in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. This helps to remove any bitterness from the eggplant.

3. Prepare Olive Salad Relish

In a large bowl, combine the pitted kalamata and green olives with the coarsely chopped Italian parsley, pickled garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add the red wine vinegar, dried rosemary, thyme, celery seed, oregano, and basil. Pour the extra-virgin olive oil over the mixture and stir it all together. For a finer texture, process this mixture in a food processor until it reaches your desired consistency. Transfer the relish to an airtight container and set it aside.

4. Prepare Spinach

Place the fresh spinach leaves in a large bowl and sprinkle them with the red wine vinegar to add a slight tanginess.

5. Roast Eggplant

Once the eggplant has drained, rinse off the salt and pat the slices dry. Rub them with extra-virgin olive oil, then lay them out on a baking sheet. Roast the eggplant in the preheated oven for about 20-22 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through. The eggplant should be browned and tender. Once roasted, transfer the eggplant slices to the bowl with the spinach and toss them together.

6. Assemble Sandwich

Cut the round loaf in half horizontally and remove some of the bread from the inside to create space for the filling. Spread a generous amount of the olive salad relish on both halves of the bread. Drizzle a bit of extra-virgin olive oil over the relish. Layer the eggplant and spinach mixture evenly on the bottom half of the loaf, followed by the roasted red or yellow peppers. Place the top half of the loaf back on and press down firmly.

7. Marinate Sandwich

Wrap the assembled sandwich tightly in aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. Weigh it down with something heavy, like a couple of cans or a heavy skillet, and let it marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight. This allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully.

8. Serve Sandwich

When you're ready to serve, take the sandwich out of the fridge and unwrap it. Hold it firmly and cut it into slices using a serrated knife. This ensures you get a clean cut through all the delicious layers.