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Per serving
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- 1
Salt the eggplant
Peel the eggplant and slice it lengthwise into about fifteen 1/8-inch slices. Lay the slices in a colander, toss them with 1 tablespoon salt, and let them stand 30 minutes. This draws out the bitter liquid and firms up the flesh — don't skip it. It's the difference between silky and spongy.
- 2
Build the sauce
In a large saucepan, soften the chopped onion in the olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook one minute more, just until you can smell it. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the sugar, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a little pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then. While it cooks, rinse the eggplant well and pat it dry.
- 3
Mix the filling
In a large bowl, fold together the ricotta, mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/4 cup of the parsley, 1 lightly beaten egg, and a pinch of pepper. Good ricotta matters here — taste it, it should be sweet and milky, not sour.
- 4
Set up the breading
Lightly beat the remaining 3 eggs in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons parsley, and a dash each of salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the egg, then press it into the crumbs to coat both sides.
- 5
Fry the eggplant
Heat 1/2 inch of oil to 375°F in a deep or electric skillet. Fry the eggplant slices in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden. Drain them on paper towels. Don't crowd the pan — cold eggplant dumped in all at once drops the oil temperature and you get grease instead of crust.
- 6
Roll and bake
Heat the oven to 375°F. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce into an ungreased 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 rounded tablespoons of the ricotta filling onto each eggplant slice, roll it up, and set it seam side down in the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls and scatter on the last 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted into it. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.
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Eggplant Rollatini
Created by: PastaAndProsciutto
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- vegetable oil
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Salt the eggplantPeel the eggplant and slice it lengthwise into about fifteen 1/8-inch slices. Lay the slices in a colander, toss them with 1 tablespoon salt, and let them stand 30 minutes. This draws out the bitter liquid and firms up the flesh — don't skip it. It's the difference between silky and spongy.
- Build the sauceIn a large saucepan, soften the chopped onion in the olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook one minute more, just until you can smell it. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the sugar, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a little pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then. While it cooks, rinse the eggplant well and pat it dry.
- Mix the fillingIn a large bowl, fold together the ricotta, mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/4 cup of the parsley, 1 lightly beaten egg, and a pinch of pepper. Good ricotta matters here — taste it, it should be sweet and milky, not sour.
- Set up the breadingLightly beat the remaining 3 eggs in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons parsley, and a dash each of salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the egg, then press it into the crumbs to coat both sides.
- Fry the eggplantHeat 1/2 inch of oil to 375°F in a deep or electric skillet. Fry the eggplant slices in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden. Drain them on paper towels. Don't crowd the pan — cold eggplant dumped in all at once drops the oil temperature and you get grease instead of crust.
- Roll and bakeHeat the oven to 375°F. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce into an ungreased 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 rounded tablespoons of the ricotta filling onto each eggplant slice, roll it up, and set it seam side down in the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls and scatter on the last 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted into it. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.