Thinly sliced eggplant is grilled then rolled with a cheesy filling, topped with tomato passata and more cheese and baked until bubbling and golden. This recipe has been adapted from Nigella's Feast cookbook.
4tablespoonschopped fresh flat leaf parsley(or more as desired)
4tablespoonschopped fresh basil(or more as desired)
1egg
1teaspoonsalt
freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Firstly slice the eggplants into about 5mm slices. I get about 7 slices per eggplant. Peel prior to slicing if desired.
Brush slices with olive oil and grill using electric grill or grill pan. Remove the grilled eggplant slices as they are done setting aside on a plate. Lightly salt the eggplant slices. For other options see notes.
Place a large tablespoon of prepared filling onto a slice of grilled eggplant. Roll up and arrange into a baking dish. This is obviously a recipe that can easily be adjusted according to how many guests you have.
Combine tomato passata with extra virgin olive oil and salt
Pour seasoned tomato passata over the the rolls and sprinkle with chopped mozzarella.
Bake at 350ºF/180ºC for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden. By this time your house should smell heavenly.
Once out, let the dish stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Beautiful with crusty bread and a salad.
Filling
Combine all ingredients for filling and set aside.
Notes
Does the eggplant need to be salted to remove bitterness?Young, very fresh eggplant don't usually tend to be very bitter.However, salting may be necessary if the seeds a large and hard they could be bitter. Simply, slice the eggplant, sprinkle with salt and allow stand for an hour in a colander or sieve. Rinse the eggplant slice before using.Variations
Zucchini can be use instead of eggplant.
Bake the eggplant slices instead of grilling by brushing with oil and bake until tender.
Use mozzarella cheese for part of the ricotta
Use a teaspoon of dried oregano in the filling
Add the zest of a lemon in the filling
Include a handful of raisins, currants or pine nuts
Sprinkle the finished dish with Parmesan or Romano cheese.