Sicilian Eggplant Rolls

Name: Sicilian Eggplant Rolls
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants, cut lengthways into 5 mm thick slices (you should end up with about 14 slices); 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 quantity Sugo (see page 28); 150 g fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces; 3-4 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino; 3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional); freshly ground black pepper basil leaves, to serve; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 garlic clove, skin on, bashed with the back of a knife 1 bunch of silverbeet, stalks removed and finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped; 500 g fresh ricotta, well drained; 30 g ½ cup) freshly grated pecorino; 1 egg; 2-3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves V teaspoon freshly grated; nutmeg; 2 tablespoons sultanas, soaked in water for 30 minutes, drained; salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

7 steps

Updated at: Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:22:22 GMT

Ingredients

4 servings

2eggplants

large, cut lengthways into 5 mm thick slices, you should end up with about 14 slices

2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil

1 quantitySugo

150gfresh mozzarella

torn into small pieces

3 tablespoonspecorino

freshly grated

3 tablespoonspine nuts

optional

black pepper

freshly ground, to serve

basil leaves

Ricotta Filling

1 tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil

1garlic clove

skin on, bashed with the back of a knife of silverbeet, stalks removed and finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped

500gfresh ricotta

well drained

30gpecorino

freshly grated

1egg

2 tablespoonsflat-leaf parsley leaves

chopped, V teaspoon freshly grated

nutmeg

2 tablespoonssultanas

soaked in water for 30 minutes, drained

salt flakes

black pepper

freshly ground

Instructions

Step 1

Heat a large chargrill pan over high heat. Brush the eggplant slices with the olive oil, then grill for about 3-4 minutes on both sides until they are soft and have nice, dark char lines.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 200°C.

Step 3

While the oven is heating, make the ricotta filling. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat, add the garlic, then drop in the chopped silverbeet stalks. Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add the silverbeet leaves, replace the lid and leave for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Drain off the excess liquid and discard the garlic clove. Mix the cooked silverbeet with the remaining ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

To assemble, smear a ladleful of the sugo over the base of a baking dish. Put 1 tablespoon of the ricotta filling in the middle of each eggplant slice and roll up to enclose.

Step 5

Arrange the rolls, seam-side down, in a single layer in the dish. Drizzle the remaining sugo over the top. Scatter over the mozzarella and pecorino and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Step 6

Remove and rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving In the meantime, if you'd like to use pine nuts to top the dish, heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat and toast the pine nuts for 45-60 seconds until fragrant and lightly golden. Sprinkle over the eggplant.

Step 7

To serve, grind over some black pepper and top with plenty of basil.