Eggplant Involtini Food

INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to high.
• Grill the eggplant slices until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Lay the slices of grilled eggplant on a cutting board. Place a basil leaf on top of the eggplant. On 1 end of the eggplant, put a teaspoon of cheese. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Roll the eggplant around the cheese and the basil leaf. Secure the roll with a toothpick.

EGGPLANT INVOLTINI WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Fresh Tomato Sauce: Heat oil in a medium straight-sided skillet over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomato pieces with a wooden spoon, until tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Pass through the medium disk of a food mill. Sauce can be allowed to cool completely, then refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days. (Makes about 2 1/2 cups.)
• Involtini: Trim and cut eggplants length-wise into 1/4-to-1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack; season both sides with salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Place currants in a small heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes, then drain. Finely chop half of mozzarella and place in a bowl with currants, ricotta, feta, pine nuts, cinnamon, oregano, parsley, breadcrumbs, and egg. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine.
• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Pat eggplant slices dry with paper towels and brush both sides of each evenly with olive oil. Brush grates with vegetable oil and grill eggplant slices, turning occasionally, until charred in places and tender, about 3 minutes a side.
• Transfer to a plate, piling slices on top of one another so that they continue to steam and soften. Let cool 15 minutes. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons filling at one short end of an eggplant slice. Roll up tightly to secure in a cigar shape. Repeat with remaining filling and eggplant slices.
• Spread tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch gratin dish or 9-inch square baking dish. Arrange eggplant rolls snugly in an even layer, seam-sides down. Thinly slice remaining mozzarella and arrange over top.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Bake until cheese has melted and eggplant is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then garnish with basil and serve with bread.

INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place a ridged cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and cook, turning, until soft and (if using a ridged pan) crisscrossed with grid marks. Set aside and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine feta, pine nuts, raisins, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, bread crumbs, garlic, lemon zest, mint and parsley. Mix in egg, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread eggplant slices on a surface, and divide stuffing evenly among them, placing 1 to 2 tablespoons at one end of each slice. Roll up slices tightly to secure filling, and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or other shallow baking pan in which rolls fit snugly in a single layer).
• Pour crushed tomatoes on top of eggplant rolls. Arrange mozzarella slices in a line lengthwise down center of pan. Drizzle olive oil evenly over pan, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bake until cheese has melted and eggplant is bubbling and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

EGGPLANT INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray well with nonstick spray or brush with oil.
• Cut off ends of eggplant and peel. Make a cut lengthwise so the eggplant is stable without rolling. Carefully slice eggplants into even 1/2 inch slices lengthwise. Arrange planks on prepared sheets.
• Brush oil on both sides of the eggplant planks and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake for about 30 minutes.
• If using whole tomatoes (preferable) - strain, chop up and return to juice.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large frying pan over medium low heat. Add crushed garlic, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes to reduce to about 1/2.
• Remove eggplant from oven and let sit for 5 minutes then flip over so it doesn't become soggy.
• Mix ricotta, 1/2 cup pecorino or mozzorella (pecorino is preferable in this recipe) , breadcrumbs, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup chopped basil.
• When eggplant is cool, place about 1 tablespoon filling onto the large end and roll up. Use a bit more filling for larger slices and a bit less for smaller ones. Place roll seam side down on top of sauce. Continue using the rest of the eggplant and filling.
• Turn burner to medium and simmer about 5 minutes. Turn on broiler.
• Place the pan 8 inches below the broiler element and let brown 5 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and WRAP HANDLE WITH TOWEL so no one grabs the handle and is burned!
• Sprinkle with extra cheese and let sit for a few minutes. Sprinkle remaining basil and serve with sauce on the side.