Mushroom - Spinach Sandwich

Ok, I confess! I am not a big sandwich fan. If you are like me who considers it a health food and avoids too much cheese, deep fired patties and too much mayonnaise between your bread, you will know what I mean when I say, sandwiches are blah! But I have always managed to make some varieties at home which make me repeatedly say 'ok, this is the last bite I am going to eat as I am full' and still eat some more. One of them being the Mushroom-Spinach sandwich. The nutty taste of mushroom with hearty spinach goes so well together. Mushroom gives a nice bite to it, while the spinach cooked in garlic and spring onions makes it creamy. The colored peppers give a burst of colors that will make even kids ask for more and more! This nutrient packed sandwich is for everyone! Feel free to add fresh corn kernels, or any other veggie of your choice!

While any bread is good to make this sandwich, there is nothing like fresh Ciabatta. However, I prefer to make my own flat bread for this one and feel it's worth the effort!. And, why exactly do I prefer making my own bread? Well,  I don't like sandwich made with store-bought toasted bread, as it gets too crispy and you spend more time chewing the bread than enjoy what's inside. The un-toasted bread feels too bland and soft. And then there is nothing like a nice soft bread that is slightly crispy from outside and still fluffy, spongy inside!

Infact, I use the same dough in a loaf pan to make white bread! Eating fresh from the oven, home made bread is such a joy. Slather home made jam, or cream cheese or plain butter or just have it plain!

But don't worry, if you don't want to make your own bread, use any fresh bread from your favorite deli and this sandwich will still taste awesome!

You need:

For the filling:
Button Mushrooms - 1/2 Cup (cleaned and sliced)
Baby Spinach - 1 Cup
Onion - 1/2 Medium size (thinly sliced)
Capsicum/ Colored Peppers - 1/2 (sliced)
Olive Oil - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Freshly crushed pepper - 1/4 tsp
Cheddar cheese - 2 slices (use any kind you prefer, I used the non-fat variety)
Sweet corn kernels - 1/4 cup (optional)

For the bread:

All purpose flour/ Maida – 2 ¾ cup

Rice flour – ¼ cup

Boiled potato – ½ cup (reserve water used to boil the potatoes to replace water for kneading the dough )

Salt – 1.5 tsp

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Warm buttermilk – ½ cup (replace with a mixture of 1/4 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup water)

Honey – 3 Tbsp

Yeast – 1.5 tsp

Water – ½ cup (adjust the water you get from boiling the potatoes to make 1/2 cup)

Sugar - ½ tsp

Making the Bread:

1. Mix sugar and active dry yeast in luke warm water (105-110 F) and keep it aside for 7-10 min. By the end of 7-10 min, the mixture should be frothy and this indicates that the yeast is active. Make sure the water is not too hot as yeast dies when subjected to high heat.
2. Combine all other ingredients, knead till smooth and springy, 5-10 minutes by hand or food procesor.The dough should be sticky, soft and spongy, but if it is way too sticky to handle, add a little flour to knead. But remember the dough is supposed to be sticky and soft, so ad flour only if you feel the dough is unmanageable without adding any extra flour. (The quantity of flour and water I have given should ideally be what you need) This should take upto 10 min as it needs to form gluten to make a nice fluffy bread.
3. Cover with bowl with a cling wrap and let rise till doubled, approx 1.5 hours.
4. Gently deflate dough, shape into balls and flatten them with your fingers to make 1/2 inch high rectangles of 8x4 inch dimensions.
5. Place into greased pans and leave until nicely risen but not over-proofed, approx. 35-45 minutes.
6. Pre-heat the oven at 375 F (pre-heating takes 10-15 min) and bake for 20 min or until the downward facing side is golden brown.
7. Turn sides and bake for another 10 min. 

Making the filling:

1. In oil add chopped garlic and for 1-2 minutes will the oil is infused with garlic flavor.
2. Add the onions and fry till translucent. 
3. Add the mushrooms, spinach and capsicum/colored peppers and saute for 3-4 min. Add sweet corn kernels at this stage if you are using them too.
4. Add salt pepper switch off.

To assemble the sandwich:

1. Add the filling to one half a side of the freshly baked bread. Then add the cheese on top of the filling and fold the second side over.
2. On a pan toast both sides gently so that the cheese melts slightly or just pop in microwave oven for 15 sec to melt the cheese.
3. Serve hot!