Grilled eggplant panini

When a quick bite is all we need, a sandwich is the first thing that comes to mind. When we want to make it healthy and tasty, a grilled veggie panini is a great option. Eggplant particularly lends itself to grilling. My husband is allergic to eggplant, but I love eggplant. So, the grilled panini is our perfect solution, where I can use eggplant in mine and other vegetables in his sandwich. This is one of my favorite panini recipes.

Ingredients (makes 3 to 4 sandwiches)

eggplant - 1 large
whole grain sandwich buns - 6 to 8
olive oil - 1 tbsp
paprika/red chilli powder or flakes - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
mozzarella cheese - 3 tbsp

Method:

Take olive oil in a bowl and mix in the paprika and salt. Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch circles. Brush eggplant and sandwich buns with seasoned olive oil mixture. Place eggplant pieces on a panini/sandwich press and grill on high until done. Grill the sandwich buns separately. Assemble the paninis by placing an eggplant piece on a sandwich bun, topping it with a tablespoon of cheese, placing another eggplant piece on top of it and covering with another sandwich bun. Serve fresh and warm.

Notes:
1. Any cheese/cheese singles can be used as per preference.
2. I use the large eggplants we get in the US - if a different variety of eggplant is used, the quantities need to be adjusted accordingly.