eggplant involtini – smitten kitchen
From Alexandra Stafford — who I hope you comply with, as you will be so impressed, also — I finished up incorporating lemon zest to the filling and ending the dish with lemon juice. I definitely love it listed here but if you are not into lemon, you can skip it. If you do not want make the sauce, you can use 3 cups organized sauce rather. I bake the eggplant in 2 cups, and use the last 1 cup for serving.
To roast: Transfer to oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on the first side, then flip every slice and roast for another 8 to 10 on the 2nd, until eventually browned on every single aspect.
To grill: Grill in excess of sturdy warmth until finally darkish marks surface on each individual aspect, about 8 minutes for the first facet and 5 minutes for the 2nd.
For equally techniques: Established eggplant aside to amazing. If your oven is not presently heated to 425, do so now.
When eggplant cools, make the sauce: Warmth 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 11- to 12-inch pot around medium, increase minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch or three of crimson pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Prepare dinner for a single minute. Include tomatoes (it will splatter, be cautious) and stir. Cook at a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Even though it simmers, assemble your eggplant rolls.
When the sauce is done, flavor and include far more seasoning, as wanted. If you’d like it smoother, you can mix to your wanted consistency. This yields 3 cups sauce. Prior to assembling, ladle out 1 cup sauce and set it apart for serving. If your pan you made the sauce in is ovenproof, you are superior to go. If it’s not, transfer all but 1 cup reserved sauce to a 2-quart baking dish.
Assemble the involtini: In a bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, lemon zest, about 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a several grinds of black pepper. Location about 1 tablespoon at the conclude of each and every comprehensive-sized slice of cooked eggplant, a little much less on smaller ones, employing all of the filling, Roll into a cigar. Put every roll in organized sauce, seam facet down.
Bake: Brush tops of eggplant rolls frivolously with olive oil and bake uncovered approximately 30 minutes, right until bubbly close to the edges and browned on major. Squeeze lemon juice over the best and scatter with basil leaves ahead of serving. Provide sizzling, with reserved sauce and extra grated parmesan cheese, if wished-for, on the side.
Provide with: Garlic bread, probably? Or spaghetti, if you have youngsters or young children-at-heart.