eggplant involtini – smitten kitchen

From Alexandra Stafford — who I hope you comply with, as you’ll be so impressed, too — I ended up including lemon zest to the filling and ending the dish with lemon juice. I completely adore it right here however for those who’re not into lemon, you may skip it. If you happen to don’t need make the sauce, you should use 3 cups ready sauce as an alternative. I bake the eggplant in 2 cups, and use the final 1 cup for serving.

Put together the eggplant: If roasting your eggplant, warmth your oven to 425°F. Line two massive baking sheets with parchment paper if roasting the eggplant, or for basic ease if grilling. Reduce tops off eggplant and lower into beneficiant 1/4-inch-thick slices. Prepare in a single layer on baking sheets. Brush frivolously with olive oil and season effectively with salt and pepper. Flip slices and repeat on the second aspect.

To roast: Switch to oven and cook dinner for 10 to 12 minutes on the primary aspect, then flip every slice and roast for an additional 8 to 10 on the second, till browned on all sides.

To grill: Grill over strong warmth till darkish marks seem on all sides, about 8 minutes for the primary aspect and 5 minutes for the second.

For each strategies: Set eggplant apart to chill. In case your oven isn’t already heated to 425, achieve this now.

Whereas eggplant cools, make the sauce: Warmth 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 11- to 12-inch pot over medium, add minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch or three of pink pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Cook dinner for one minute. Add tomatoes (it is going to splatter, watch out) and stir. Cook dinner at a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Whereas it simmers, assemble your eggplant rolls.

When the sauce is completed, style and add extra seasoning, as wanted. If you happen to’d prefer it smoother, you may mix to your required consistency. This yields 3 cups sauce. Earlier than assembling, ladle out 1 cup sauce and set it apart for serving. In case your pan you made the sauce in is ovenproof, you’re good to go. If it’s not, switch all however 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 some grinds of black pepper. Place about 1 tablespoon on the finish of every full-sized slice of cooked eggplant, rather less on small ones, utilizing the entire filling, Roll right into a cigar. Place every roll in ready sauce, seam aspect down.

Bake: Brush tops of eggplant rolls frivolously with olive oil and bake uncovered roughly half-hour, till bubbly across the edges and browned on high. Squeeze lemon juice excessive and scatter with basil leaves earlier than serving. Serve sizzling, with reserved sauce and extra grated parmesan cheese, if desired, on the aspect.

Serve with: Garlic bread, maybe? Or spaghetti, when you’ve got youngsters or kids-at-heart.

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