Ingredients
Eggplant
- 4 large eggplants, sliced into ½ cm slices
- Olive oil, for brushing
Ricotta Filling
- 250 g (½ lb) ricotta cheese
- 250 g (½ lb) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1-2 tsp red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Tomato Sauce
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 400 g (14 oz) cans cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Italian herbs
- Black pepper, to taste
- Splash of olive oil
Topping
- 1-2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and grill the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Brush each aubergine slice with olive oil and place on a very hot griddle pan. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side until tender and slightly charred. Remove from the pan and set aside. Continue until all eggplant slices are grilled.
- Prepare the tomato sauce: In a large oven-proof pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Sweat the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic until soft and translucent. Add the canned cherry tomatoes along with salt, Italian herbs, black pepper, and sugar (if using). Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Make the ricotta filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, finely chopped parsley, chopped basil, crushed garlic, red chilli (if using), salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well blended.
- Assemble the involtini: Place a generous dollop of the ricotta filling onto one end of each grilled aubergine slice and roll it up tightly. Arrange each rolled slice seam-side down in the tomato sauce in the oven-proof pan. Repeat until all slices are filled and rolled.
- Add cheese and bake: Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the involtini. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve warm as a hearty vegetarian dinner.
Notes
- You can substitute cream cheese with mascarpone for a creamier texture.
- Red chilli in the filling is optional; omit for a milder taste.
- Use a grill pan or outdoor grill to get nice char marks on the eggplant slices.
- For a low-sodium version, reduce the added salt in the tomato sauce.
- Leftover involtini can be refrigerated and reheated; they also freeze well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
