Hummus, halloumi, roasted peppers, spinach and smashed avocados are squashed between two slices of focaccia for this over the top sandwich. Be prepared to get messy with this recipe!
The humble sandwich
When the Earl of Sandwich insisted his dinner be served to him between two slices of bread so that he didn't have to leave the table during a game of cards, I don't think he ever imagined that someone would create a dish in his name that was this over the top.
The concept of a sandwich is simple: take two pieces of bread and put something tasty in the middle of them. At lunch time all over the world people are tucking into a sandwich in one form or another. Whether its a cheese and pickle sandwich in the UK, a shrimp po boy in the US, a croque monsieur in France, a katsu-sando in Japan or a Bánh mì in Vietnam, someone somwhere is eating a sandwich right now.
I don't know about you but the thought of all of these sandwiches is making me hungry.
Today I've taken my inspiration from a whole host of different countries much warmer that the UK in an attempt to channel some sunshine. This sandwich is my go to during picnic season.
Let's kick things up a notch!
I've swapped regular sliced white bread for focaccia. Focaccia is an Italian bread which is often flavoured with rosemary and sea salt. It's strong enough to hold together this monster of a sandwich but still soft enough to take a bite out of. I love using focaccia instead of regular white bread because it makes every element of the sandwich something special.
Hummus is then spread on the inside of both pieces of focaccia. You need a "moist maker" in a sandwich otherwise you risk it being a rather dry mouthful. If you really want to make sure this sandwich packs a punch then I'd definitely recommend using caramelised onion hummus if you can find it.
Next comes the "salad" part of the sandwich. Forget watery lettuce, I've used earthy spinach. Roasted red peppers bring some sweetness and smashed avocado adds a creamy texture.
On top of the salad is freshly char-grilled halloumi. You can griddle your halloumi ahead of time and enjoy this sandwich cold but I love it best when the halloumi is straight out of the griddle pan, sandwiched with the rest of the ingredients and eaten still warm. That way you not only get the contrast of the sweet, salty and earthy flavours but also the contrast of hot and cold.
The recipe
Hummus and Halloumi Focaccia Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices focaccia
- 2 tablespoon hummus
- 1 handful spinach
- 4 pieces roasted peppers see note 1
- 100 grams halloumi roughly 2-3 slices
- 0.5 avocado mashed
Instructions
- Spread both slices of focaccia with the hummus.
- Take one slice which will be the bottom of your sandwich and layer with the spinach followed by the roasted peppers.
- Pre-heat a griddle pan over a medium heat.
- Once it is hot, add the slices of halloumi.
- Cook the halloumi for 5 minutes or until it has nice char marks across its surface.
- Flip the halloumi over and cook for another 5 minutes or until charred.
- Layer to cooked halloumi on top of the peppers.
- Top with the mashed avocado followed by the last piece of focaccia.
- Serve immediately (see note 2).
Notes
Note 1
You could roast your own peppers but I'm too lazy for that. Get your roasted peppers out of a jar, just make sure you pat them dry with some kitchen roll before adding to your sandwich.Note 2
If you want to enjoy this sandwich cold, let the halloumi cool down before assembling, otherwise the spinach will wilt.Nutrition
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Why not try one of these other sandwich recipes from yours truly.
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