Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Sandwich

Last summer when Dylan would ask me when his baby brother was going to be born I would always answer “after the fair“. It’s a huge annual mark for everyone here – telling us that it is soon back to school and the end of another summer. This year, the excitement started early. We would be driving someplace and out of nowhere I’d hear from the back seat “first I’m going to go on that motorcycle ride then in the ball pit”.

We rode all the rides, ate the local food, won ribbons for baked goods and scarecrows, visited the new piglets, and watched the horse pull. There was a planned ride on the carousel with both boys and an unplanned ride on Dizzy Dragons with both boys. I don’t have a single photograph from anything over the four days because, let me tell you, taking two kids to a summer fair solo is not a “let me wander with my camera” type of thing. I think we will all sleep well tonight.

So…sandwiches. It feels like sandwich weather here and this is a delicious and simple one. I hope you enjoy it.

ROASTED PEPPER & GOAT CHEESE SANDWICHES
serves 4 to 6
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

4 whole roasted peppers (either homemade or jarred)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons drained capers

For assembling
1 large ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
1 (11-ounce) goat cheese, at room temperature
2 cups baby arugula
3 thin slices red onion

Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Toss peppers and capers in, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread the bottom half of the loaf with the goat cheese. Add a layer of peppers and then a layer of separated onion rings. Sprinkle with arugula and top with the top half of the ciabatta and cut into individual servings.