Eggplant Rollatini
This recipe is written on a random sheet, torn from my journal, while watching a cooking show during collage. Before every recipe was readily available on the internet, I would copy the recipe from the chef or guests on tv and then attempt to replicate it in my kitchen. All I wrote down was the ingredients and have just worked off that list testing how to make it tasty and easy.
Eggplant par-baked and stuffed with herbed ricotta and pine nuts, this dish is the delicious love child of eggplant parmesan and veggie lasagna. It pairs nicely with a side salad or garlic bread. The photo doesn’t do it justice. Even the toddler mowed it down.
Eggplant Rollatini
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Servings: 8
2 eggplants sliced lengthwise
1 tub of ricotta about 10 oz
1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 cup mozzarella
1 can tomato sauce or marinara
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice your eggplants and lay on baking sheet and salt both sides to let them “sweat” for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes lightly wipe off salt and place in oven to bake for 10 minutes.
While eggplant is baking, lightly toast pine-nuts in a skillet with a touch of oil over medium high. Mix ricotta, egg, basil, garlic, parm, salt, pepper and pine nuts.
Spread half the can of tomato sauce or marinara in bottom of oven proof skillet. When eggplant is cool enough to touch spread a heaping tablespoon of filling in fleshy part of eggplant and roll. Place seam side down and nestle into sauce. When pan is full, top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Bake covered for 30 minutes and then uncover for 10 minutes more.
