I have to say, I haven’t always loved eggplant. Growing up in Mexico, it was never something we ate, so I really did not know it. But when I started working at DiVino Wine Studio, the owner insisted on having eggplant recipes on the menu, so I started experimenting and cooking with this purple vegetable. While there, I went on a spectacular cooking trip to Sicily and it was there where my love of eggplant truly began. I have never looked back.
These days I have embraced the Mediterranean diet, and eggplant dishes abound! You can find a few recipes here on the blog, like Turkish mains, salads and dips, and now I’d like to share these amazing eggplant rolls (involtini in Italian). They are easy to make, especially if you already have some tomato sauce in the fridge. There’s no cooking required, save the roasting of the eggplant slices, then you assemble and at that point you can refrigerate or freeze the pan, or bake it just before serving.
I hope you try these, they taste a bit like a low carb lasagna. I wanted to avoid using bread, so instead of using fresh breadcrumbs in the filling, I substituted fresh spinach; if you want to make these the way they make them in Sicily, go ahead and use breadcrumbs instead. Serve them with a salad and some vino for a memorable meal.
Involtini di Melanzane
Eggplant Rolls
2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/2 thick slices lengthwise (peeled if you want, but I like leaving the skin on)
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Filling:
2 cups ricotta cheese, strained if too runny
1 cup shredded pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano
1 cup chopped spinach (if using frozen, make sure it’s well drained)
3 Tbsp chopped basil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp mild Aleppo pepper flakes (optional)
2 1/2 cups marinara tomato sauce
Topping:
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
2 Tbsp chopped basil
Place eggplant on parchment-covered baking trays. Brush both sides with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes, they should be pliable. Let rest 5 minutes before filling.
For filling, in medium bowl place ricotta, pecorino or Parmigiano, spinach, basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Aleppo flakes. Combine well.
Divide cheese mixture among slices of roasted eggplant. Place filling on the wide ends and roll up tightly. Once all rolls are made, prepare a baking pan where the rolls fit in one layer, usually an 8” x 8” pan but you can use whatever you have.
Place half of the sauce on the bottom of the pan, then arrange the rolls seam side down on top of the sauce. Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese mix.
Bake at 375°F for 25-35 minutes, until bubbly and internal temperature is at least 165°F (if your rolls have been refrigerated, they may take a bit longer to reach temperature).
Serve with a sprinkle of pecorino or Parmigiano and basil leaves.
Serves 6-8.