Roasted Eggplant Firecracker Rolls Recipes

STUFFED ROASTED EGGPLANT ROLLS (GREECE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the eggplant slices in 1 layer onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until they are soft and pliable, about 15 to 20 minutes, turning them half way through the cooking time. Reserve the 4 largest rounds and finely chop the remaining eggplant.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and season with salt. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Put the cooked onion and chopped eggplant in a large bowl. Add the feta, bread crumbs, kasseri, lemon zest, oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil and combine well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
• Divide the filling among the 4 reserved eggplant rounds. Roll the eggplant around the filling and arrange on a serving platter with the seam side down.
• Combine the yogurt and mint together in a small bowl. Garnish each eggplant roll with a dollop of yogurt and serve at room temperature. OPAH!!!

ROASTED EGGPLANT FIRECRACKER ROLLS

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant in half lenghtwise. Brush the exposed flesh with 2 tbs of the olive oil. Lay eggplant cut side down on a cookie sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, until the flesh side of the eggplant is nicely browned and the eggplant has softened and fully cooked. Remove from the oven and cool. When cool, use a large spoon to scoop the pulp away from the skin. Discard the skin. Heat the remaining 3 tbs olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and red pepper until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add the eggplant pulp to the mixture and cook for another 6-7 minutes until all the flavors have mingled and the eggplant has begun to brown in the saute pan. Add the cayenne, salt, pepper, cilantro leaves and bread crumbs, and mix well. Set aside to cool. Using 3 phyllo pastry sheets at a time, brush each sheet very lightly with melted butter and layer the sheets together. Cut the stack in half. Place 3 tbs of the eggplant mixture in a long thin strip in the center of each stack, so the phyllo can be rolled around it to form a cigar or firecracker shape. Roll the phyllo tightly, crimping the ends shut to seal in the filling. Repeat until all of the eggplant has been used. This will yield approximately 10-12 eggplant firecrackers. At this point, they can be held for up to 2 days, covered and refrigerated. To cook the firecrackers, saute in olive oil or lay them on a non-stick baking pan, and bake in a 375 degree oven until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Serve hot.