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Eggplant Rollatini a la Dee

By Chef Dee on January 21, 2013

Eggplant Rollatini a la Dee

Delightful rolls of eggplant filled with scrumptious sweet lemon-scented ricotta!

What you’ll need:

For the rollatini:

2 large eggplant

Ricotta filling (see below)

Olive Oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Tomato sauce of your liking, either homemade or good quality store bought

Mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated for topping

Pecorino Romano cheese for topping

Fresh basil leaves, sliced

For the filling:

1 pound good quality ricotta cheese (Polly-O New York style is the BEST)

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (if using soft mozzarella, partially freeze before grating)

¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or other Romano cheese

Dash of nutmeg

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Dash of granulated garlic

Grated lemon zest (zest only—not pith), about 1 Tablespoon or more to taste

Fresh ground pepper and a pinch of salt

2 large eggs

Large handful of coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley (flat leaf)

PLEASE NOTE:

If you want to reduce the calories and fat in this dish, you can omit the olive oil and broil the eggplant until pliable and use either dairy free cheese or lower fat cheese.

Steps for the filling:

  1. Place all ingredients, except eggs into a large bowl and mix together until completely incorporated.
  2. Taste and correct / add seasonings to your liking.  Don’t be afraid of the lemon; it gives the filling a very nice fresh taste.
  3. Once you are satisfied with your filling, beat the eggs and incorporate them into the cheese mixture.

Steps for the rollatini:

  1. Choose eggplant that is shiny, firm and without bruises. Wash and dry them.
  2. Cut the top (stem) end off and a slice off the bottom as well, so that you can stand the eggplant on end.
  3. Slice lengthwise into about just under ½ inch slices, about 1/3 inch or so.  The idea here is that you want to be able to roll the slice once it has been softened, but not so thin that you can’t taste the eggplant.
  4. Lay the slices out on a flat surface and either drizzle or brush a little olive oil on each slice, each side.  Sprinkle with some flake Kosher salt and grind with freshly grated pepper.

5.  My choice is to grill the slices on my outdoor barbeque grill, but you can also use a grill pan, pannini pan (watch this, it will cook quickly!) or a regular frying pan.  You can also broil the slices if you prefer.  Basically, you want to partially cook the slices of eggplant so that they are rollable, but not mushy.

6.  Once the slices are all partially cooked, place a dollop of filling (about 1 Tablespoon) towards the wider end of the eggplant and roll up towards the smaller end.

7.  Place rolled and filled eggplant slices into an 8 x 10 baking dish, side by side and touching. You will need to make two rows.

8.  When completed, top with your favorite pasta sauce, sprinkle with a little grated Romano and top with mozzarella slices or gratings.  Sprinkle with fresh basil leaf slices, if you like.

9.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until bubbling hot.

Just melts in your mouth!

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Chef DeeI am a chef, registered nurse, and health coach and live in a glorious agricultural valley in Ventura, California. I create most of my own recipes using organic and sustainable foods whenever possible and have shared many of them in my Gourmet Goddess cooking parties. Preparing and serving healthful, delicious, and beautiful food is my passion! I look forward to having you join us. Enjoy the recipes! - Chef Dee

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