Eggplant Involtini With Grilled Ratatouille Recipe 475

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.

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 GRILLED RATATOUILLE RECIPE - (4.7/5)

Steps:

• 1. In a food processor, combine the cashews with the nutritional yeast and water and process to a fine paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl, stir in the olives and season with salt and pepper. 2. Light a grill. Brush the eggplant slices (there should be about 24) with olive oil and grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until tender and lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Arrange the eggplant on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cashew filling onto one end of each eggplant slice. Roll into tight cylinders. Cover with plastic wrap. 3. Brush all of the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables in batches until tender and lightly charred, about 3 minutes for the tomatoes and 6 minutes for the onions, peppers, eggplant and zucchini. Transfer the grilled tomatoes to a blender and puree until smooth. 4. Peel, seed and dice the peppers and chop the onions. Add them to a large deep skillet along with the 2 tablespoons of oil and the garlic, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Cook over moderately high heat until tender, 5 minutes. Add the wine and boil until evaporated, 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree and water, season with salt and pepper and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, 15 minutes. Cut the eggplant and zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces; add to the skillet. Simmer 10 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the basil. 5. Spoon the ratatouille into shallow bowls and top with the involtini. Spoon a dollop of harissa on top and serve right away. Make Ahead The involtini and ratatouille can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days.

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.