Involtini di Melanzane, or Eggplant Rolls, is a delightful Italian dish that combines the rich flavors of eggplant with creamy cheese and a vibrant tomato sauce. It's a versatile recipe that can be adjusted to include various fillings, but here we'll stick to a classic version featuring ricotta and spinach. This dish is perfect as an appetizer, side, or main course for a vegetarian meal.
Yields4 ServingsPrep Time30 minsCook Time40 minsTotal Time1 hr 10 mins
For the Eggplant:
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
A pinch of nutmeg
For the Tomato Sauce:
For the Tomato Sauce:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
To Garnish:
Extra grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves
1
Prepare the Eggplant: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and golden. Allow to cool.
2
Make the Filling: In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined.
3
Prepare the Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil at the end.
4
Assemble the Rolls: On each eggplant slice, place a spoonful of the ricotta mixture at one end and roll up tightly. Place each roll seam-side down in a baking dish.
5
Bake: Spoon the tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
6
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Ingredients
For the Eggplant:
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
A pinch of nutmeg
For the Tomato Sauce:
For the Tomato Sauce:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
To Garnish:
Extra grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves
Directions
1
Prepare the Eggplant: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and golden. Allow to cool.
2
Make the Filling: In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined.
3
Prepare the Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil at the end.
4
Assemble the Rolls: On each eggplant slice, place a spoonful of the ricotta mixture at one end and roll up tightly. Place each roll seam-side down in a baking dish.
5
Bake: Spoon the tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
6
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
