Eggplant Involtini

Eggplant Involtini

---

INGREDIENTS:

• eggplants

• olive oil

• sea salt

• parmigiano reggiano

• asiago 

TOMATO SAUCE:

• can of tomatoes (plum,diced)

• tomato sauce

• green pepper,sliced

• garlic cloves,smashed

• Parmigiano reggiano rhinds

• S+P

• oregano

• red pepper flakes

RICOTTA FILLING

• whole milk ricotta

• grated parmigiano reggiano

• fresh basil

• fresh thyme

• S+P

• olive oil 

• lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and like a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut the tops and bottoms off the eggplants and thinly slice them lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until soft.

3. While the eggplants are roasting, prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the garlic + onion + green pepper and cook until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Add all the other tomato sauce ingredients and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and let it cook for about 50 min. 5 min before the sauce is done simmering,use an immersion blender and blend the sauce until thickened. Set aside until ready to use.

4. For the Ricotta filling: In a food processor, add a handful of basil,a few sprigs of thyme, olive oil and lemon. Process until fully blended.

5. In a small bowl, add the ricotta and stir in basil mix and all the other ingredients.

6. When the eggplants come out of the oven, set them aside to cool for a minute but keep the oven on. Pour a small amount of tomato sauce into a cast Iron or a baking dish, add asiago on top. Divide the ricotta filling between the eggplant slices and carefully roll eggplant around the filling and place with seam-side down on top of the tomato sauce. Repeat until dish is filled with the eggplant rollups. Add more of the tomato sauce on top.

7. Sprinkle parmesan and asiago over the top and bake in the oven until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve with extra parmesan sprinkled over the top.

8. Enjoy!