Eggplant Rolls in a Spicy Pomodoro
My version of an Eggplant Involtini, this recipe has eggplant rolls cooked a homemade spicy pomodoro sauce that has just the right amount of kick!
Servings: 4
Calories: 479kcal
Ingredients
Spicy Pomodoro
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 jalapeños finely diced
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pinch sea salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ~16 medium basil leaves
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 ½-2 lbs. tomatoes on the vine diced or processed in the food processor
Eggplant Involtini
- 2 large eggplants sliced into ¼" slices
- flavorless oil like sunflower seed, vegetable, or canola
- 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
- 6 oz. fresh mozarella
- ½ cup parmesan grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Start your sauce by heating the olive oil over medium/medium-high heat until the butter is mostly melted. Add the jalapeño, shallot, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and basil.
- Once the garlic looks cooked but is not yet brown, add the tomatoes. taste and adjust seasoning. If it tastes too acidic, add a pinch of sugar. Once the tomatoes are brought to temperature lower the heat to simmer and cover for 20-30 minutes. If a smoother consistency is desired, blend the sauce.
- Grease your baking sheet with olive oil. You can either use 2 sheets or cook your eggplant in 2 batches.
- Prepare your eggplant: Trim the ends, slice lengthwise into ¼-1/2 inch slices (you want to get 6 slices per eggplant), and lay evenly on a your greased baking sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil, and season with salt & pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Flip. Cook another 10 minutes.
- Mix the ricotta, mozarella, and parmesan in a medium bowl. Season with ¼ teaspoon of each salt & pepper. Mix (with a fork) to combine.
- When the eggplant is cool, add ~2 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture to the center of each eggplant (see photo below). Use up all the mixture.
- Transfer your tomato sauce to a baking dish.
- Roll your eggplants and place them seam-side-down in the baking dish.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
Prep ahead tip: You can get it ready for the oven (in it's baking dish), cover it, and bake it for 25 minutes before your guests arrive. Just let it come to room temperature and pop it in the oven before your guests get there.
Wintertime? Grab a can of diced tomatoes instead of using fresh!
You can blend the sauce if you are looking for a smoother finish...I personally prefer the sauce a little chunky.
If you want a head start, you can use a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes.
Nutrition
Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 849mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1470IU | Vitamin C: 22.5mg | Calcium: 585mg | Iron: 1.4mg