Eggplant Rollatini is one of my favorite dishes, unless the eggplant is breaded. And it’s usually breaded, especially on restaurant menus. My version doesn’t rely on breading, although I do add some breadcrumbs on top for a bit of texture. This version of Eggplant Rollatini includes a lovely marinara and basil pesto. I blend Chunky Red Pepper Marinara into a smooth sauce for the base; Basil Pesto adds a wonderful punch to the filling. Both sauces are fantastic on their own, but in this dish they enhance the eggplant rather than overpower it. The eggplant luxuriates in being itself – silken earthiness, rich with friends.
This Eggplant Rollatini recipe does include ricotta, Parmesan, and aged mozzarella, so it is quite rich. I recommend two or three Eggplant Rollatini per person, then on to the next course!
Sadly, this eggplant didn’t come from our garden. The Japanese eggplant have been prolific, but we’ve only harvested a few globe eggplants. The good news is that we’re not tied to the season for this recipe, because you can get globe eggplant in the grocery store throughout the year.
Eggplant Rollatini
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants (about 10 slices per eggplant)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese (divided – 1/2 cup for filling, and 1/4 cup for the bread crumb topping)
- 1 egg
- 1 half-pint jar Basil Pesto (divided) (recipe links included in post)
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups Chunky Red Pepper Marinara (see note)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup sourdough breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven – Preheat oven to 400F.
- Slice and sweat the eggplant – Remove the stems from the eggplant. Cut eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices – no peeling necessary! Salt on both sides and let sit to "sweat" for 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel and wipe off remaining salt.
- Bake and soften the eggplant – Lay eggplant on a silpat-lined baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Mix the filling together – While eggplant is baking, mix together the ricotta cheese, parmesan, egg, salt & pepper, minced garlic, and 3 T Basil Pesto.
- Assemble the rollatini – Spread half the marinara on the bottom of your baking dish. Spoon 1-2 T of ricotta filling on the thickest part of each eggplant slice, then roll it up and lay the rollatini in the baking dish with sauce. Repeat until finished.
- Bake – Spoon the remainder of the marinara sauce over the rolled-up eggplant, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan with the breadcrumbs. After 30 minutes, uncover the rollatini, dot the top with the rest of the pesto, and sprinkle the Parm/breadcrumb mixture over each rollatini. Send the pan back to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10 -15 minutes, until the Parm/breadcrumb mixture is browned and a bit crunchy. Garnish with fresh parsley, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
This recipe calls for two eggplants, but I opted for only one this time (adjusting the quantities of the other ingredients accordingly), because I wanted to use a smaller baking dish that fits into my very small side oven. I thought – why not? I’m only cooking for two people… I won’t make that mistake again!