On this eggplant rollatini recipe, bubbly marinara surrounds tender eggplant slices rolled round a wealthy ricotta filling. It is SO comforting and scrumptious!
Okay, saucy, tacky consolation meals followers – you’re going to like this eggplant rollatini recipe!
“Rollatini” is an Americanized model of the Italian phrase “involtini,” which describes small bundles of meals made by rolling skinny slices of meat or produce round a filling. On this eggplant rollatini recipe, I wrap delicate planks of roasted eggplant round a wealthy mix of lemon zest, pecorino, and ricotta cheese. I nestle the rolls in a dish of marinara sauce and bake till the filling is sizzling and the eggplant is tender.
The mixture of flavors and textures is incredible. The filling affords a vibrant, creamy distinction to the silky eggplant, and the marinara provides scrumptious tang. For a contemporary end and a welcome crunch, garnish all of it with plenty of basil and a sprinkle of pine nuts. Get pleasure from!
Eggplant Rollatini Recipe Substances
Right here’s what you’ll must make this eggplant rollatini recipe:
Eggplant, in fact! Search for two giant globe eggplants at your farmers market or grocery retailer. Once you slice them lengthwise, you need the planks to be giant sufficient to wrap round a filling.
Ricotta cheese – It creates the filling’s creamy base.
Pecorino cheese – It provides savory, salty taste to the ricotta combination. Parmesan cheese would work nicely too!
Lemon zest – For brightness.
Garlic, dried oregano, and crimson pepper flakes – They add basic Italian flavors to the cheese filling.
Further-virgin olive oil – It helps the eggplant soften and brown because it roasts within the oven.
Recent basil and pine nuts – For garnish.
And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.
For a vegan various to the ricotta, try the recipe card under. I’ve included my go-to recipe for a creamy plant-based “ricotta,” made out of blended tofu and dietary yeast. I don’t assume I may choose a favourite between the 2 variations. Each are scrumptious!
Find out how to Make Eggplant Rollatini
Step one to creating this eggplant rollatini recipe is getting ready the eggplant.
Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks, and prepare them on a layer of paper towel or clear kitchen towels. Sprinkle them with salt and set them apart for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, pat the slices dry and prepare them on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Drizzle them generously with olive oil and roast at 425°F for 20 to half-hour, or till the slices are tender and golden brown. Ensure to flip the slices and rotate the pans midway via.
Whereas the eggplant roasts, combine up the ricotta filling.
Subsequent, fill the roasted eggplant slices. After they’re cool sufficient to deal with, place about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta combination on the top of every slice. Roll to seal.
Lastly, bake. Unfold the marinara sauce within the backside of a giant baking dish, and add the eggplant bundles, seam aspect down. Cowl the dish and bake till the eggplant is mushy, about 20 minutes.
Salt the eggplant earlier than you roast it. It takes an additional 20 minutes, I do know, however it improves the eggplant’s taste a ton. It additionally attracts extra moisture out of the eggplant, which makes it extra pliable, tender, and simple to roll.
Don’t skimp on the oil. Uncooked eggplant acts like a sponge – it could possibly take in oil like nothing else can. Consequently, you have to be pretty beneficiant with the oil that you just drizzle on the eggplant earlier than you roast it. It’s essential for serving to the eggplant soften and brown because it bakes. With too little oil, the skinny eggplant slices will dry out and perhaps even burn within the oven.
Stack the eggplant slices once they come out of the oven. Type of a bizarre tip, I do know, however stacking up the recent eggplant slices after their preliminary roast will assist them steam and soften. This makes them simpler to roll across the creamy filling.
Extra Favourite Eggplant Recipes
Should you love this eggplant rollatini, attempt one in every of these contemporary eggplant recipes subsequent:
Eggplant Rollatini
Prep Time: 40minutes
Cook dinner Time: 40minutes
Complete Time: 1hr20minutes
Serves 4
On this eggplant rollatini recipe, skinny eggplant slices are rolled round a wealthy ricotta filling, then baked in bubbly marinara sauce. It is a comforting, scrumptious vegetarian meal. Discover a vegan various within the be aware under.
2giant eggplants, sliced vertically into ¼-inch-thick planks
¼teaspooncrimson pepper flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
½teaspoonsea salt
Freshly floor black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two giant baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare the eggplant planks on a clear kitchen towel and sprinkle with salt. Put aside for 20 minutes to attract moisture out of the eggplant.
Pat the eggplant dry and switch to the ready baking sheets. Drizzle generously with olive oil, toss to coat, and prepare in a single layer on the baking sheets. Roast for 20 to half-hour, or till tender and golden brown, flipping the eggplant and rotating the pans midway via.
In the meantime, make the filling*: In a big bowl, stir collectively the ricotta, pecorino, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, crimson pepper flakes, salt, and several other grinds of pepper.
Assemble the rollatini. Unfold the marinara sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto the top of one of many roasted eggplant slices and roll to seal. Place seam aspect down within the ready baking dish. Repeat with the remaining filling and eggplant slices.
Cowl the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or till the eggplant is mushy.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and crimson pepper flakes, garnish with contemporary basil, and serve.
* For a vegan various to the ricotta filling, pulse these elements in a meals processor till creamy:
