Eggplant Rolls With Ricotta Walnuts And Mint Food

EGGPLANT RICOTTA BITES

Steps:

• Thinly slice the eggplant into rounds and season with salt. Pour some flour into a shallow dish. Beat the eggs in another dish. In a third dish, mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Dredge the eggplant in the flour, then dip in the eggs and coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the eggplant until golden, about 2 minutes per side, adding more oil between batches, if necessary. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
• Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and the vinegar in a small bowl. Spoon some ricotta onto each eggplant slice. Top with the tomato mixture and basil.

RICOTTA EGGPLANT ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant and lightly browned. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, sugar, and pepper. Simmer covered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a large shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the eggs and cream with a fork.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs. Fry each slice until golden brown in the hot oil, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
• Spread a thin layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto one side of each slice of eggplant. Roll up, and place in the baking dish seam side down. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. Cover the baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Garnish with additional chopped parsley before serving if desired.

EGGPLANT WALNUT RICOTTA ROLLS WITH FRESH GREENS AND BASIL SALAD

Steps:

• Wash eggplants, cut off and discard stems. On a cutting board, using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice each eggplant lengthwise in long pieces, 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle eggplant slices with Kosher salt and place in a large colander to drain for 15 to 20 minutes. Discard liquid.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, dill, sea salt, nutmeg, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix all ingredients until smooth in texture and set aside. (Ricotta filling should be chilled until ready to use.)
• In a large deep skillet, pour ½-inch canola oil and heat over medium heat until oil is hot. Blot the pieces of eggplant with paper towel to remove any water droplets and fry eggplant slices in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 90 seconds per side. Remove from pan to drain flat on paper towels.
• Place slices of eggplant on a tray or dish and spread a tablespoon or two of the ricotta filling across each slice; roll up pin-wheel style and repeat until all eggplant slices have been filled and rolled.
• In a medium bowl, toss the salad greens with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Arrange the mixed greens on four serving plates and serve with eggplant walnut ricotta rolls. Toss torn basil leaves over the salad. Garnish salad with candied walnuts.

BAINGAN BHARTA (ROASTED EGGPLANT SALAD)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with foil. Make 3 slashes in each eggplant, from top to tail, equally distanced around the eggplant. Rub the eggplants with a little peanut oil. Sit them on the baking sheet and roast until soft all the way to the center and the skin is brown, about 45 minutes, rotating the pan and flipping the eggplants halfway through. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Once cool, skin the eggplant. Chop the flesh until it's relatively smooth but not mushy.
• In a large skillet, warm the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and saute until it turns golden brown. Add the eggplant flesh, garlic, chile and cilantro leaves. Cook 2 minutes. Add a splash of water if it begins to stick.
• Add the turmeric, cumin, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir and cook another 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Add the yogurt and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, and garnish with cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of ground cumin. Serve either warm or slightly chilled.

BAKED EGGPLANT AND RICOTTA ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius Spray large baking trays with oil spray to lightly grease, cut eggplants into 16 or so 1cm thick slices lengthways. Arrange eggplant in a single layer, on the repared trays. Lightly spray with olive oil spray. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until golden.
• Meanwhile, mix the basil, ricotta, and three quarters of the parmesan in a medium bowl. Taste and season well with pepper.
• Place 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on one eggplant slice. Roll up firmly to encose fulling. Place the roll, seam side down, in a 30 x 20cm baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ricotta mix and eggplant slices. Pour the sauce evenly over the rolls, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and the mozzarella. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until the mozzarella melts. Serve with polenta, if desired.

EGGPLANT ROLLS WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant, trimmed and peeled, lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, arrange in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let them drain for about an hour to eliminate the bitter juices. Rinse and pat dry.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• For the besciamella, melt 1/4 cup butter over moderate heat, stir in the flour, and cook the roux over low heat, stirring, for three minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the hot milk in a stream and whisk until the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the optional 1/2 bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer to thicken to coat a spoon, 5-10 minutes, and discard the bay leaf.
• For the stuffing, cook the onion in a small skillet in a bit of butter until softened, add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until it is no longer pink. Stir in the ricotta, spinach, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add a bit of cream to reach the desired consistency -- I've not needed it.
• For the assembly and final cooking, heat some of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat, add the eggplant slices in batches, and cook until softened and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. When cool enough to handle, put about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing on the narrow end of each eggplant slice, roll up and arrange seam-side down in a greased baking dish large enough to hold all the rolls in a single layer. Nap the rolls with the besciamella, sprinkle with 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese and bake in the upper third of the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until browned and lightly bubbling. Sprinkle the rolls with the minced fresh parsley.

GRILLED EGGPLANT ROLLS WITH MINT AND GARLIC DRESSING

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant thinly.
• Brush each slice with olive oil and place on a ridged grill plate or barbecue.
• Turn when the cooked side has some good marks on it.
• Remove when the slices are they are soft and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Make the dressing by finely chopping the garlic and mint and mixing with the vinegar and olive oil. The wet ingredients will only coat the mint.
• Spread a little of the dressing on each slice of eggplant and roll it up.
• Drizzle any remaining dressing over the rolls.
• Serve at room temperature. Nice with BBQ chicken and salad.