On the fussiness scale, this recipe is up there. I hate to start on such a negative note, especially when these little ricotta-stuffed rolls turned out to be so stinking good, but I’ve become really lazy in the kitchen. When I see recipes that call for salting and draining and blotting dry, or for deep frying, or for assembling little parcels — as adorable as they may be — I tend to shy away.
But I’ve had this recipe bookmarked since last Christmas when I first opened Tartine Bread. And with eggplant season peaking and with my homemade tomato sauce and ricotta cheese obsession persisting, the timing seemed right. And right it was. Oh boy. Somehow the flavors of lemon and thyme in the ricotta cheese pervade the eggplant shells, all of which meld together with the fresh tomato and cream sauce base, a perfect combination in this early fall dish.
Seriously, please don’t let the opening of this post deter you from this recipe. Try to remember that I’m lazy, you’re not. I have to admit, too, that the dish came together much faster than I had anticipated. And while I begrudgingly trudged through each step of the recipe, I ultimately found myself enjoying the stuffing and the rolling and the assembling of the eggplant packages. I know you will, too.
Oh, one last thought. Are you thinking about baking this weekend? Perhaps with plums? If so, I recommend you take a look at these posts, one from The Garden of Eden and the other from House to Haus. I made the zwetschgentorte today actually — delicious! — and I can’t stop thinking about Darcy’s Plum crumble. Hoping to get around to it this weekend as well. Yum yum yum yum yum.
Involtini
Adapted from Tartine Bread
Serves 2
Notes:
• I made a half recipe.
• The book offers a recipe for tomato sauce, which I’m sure is delicious, but I have been hooked on this one since discovering it.
• I used these fabulous mini gratin dishes, but feel free to use a standard sized baking dish.
Involtini
1 eggplant
kosher salt
olive oil for frying (I used canola oil)
tomato sauce, this is the one I adore, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought
heavy cream
freshly grated Asiago cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano (I used parm)
Stuffing
bread crumbs, about 1/2 cup, made from about 3 slices day-old bread*
1 cup whole milk ricotta, homemade is easy and delicious
grated zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1. Trim the stem end of each eggplant. Using a mandoline, cut the eggplant lenthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices. You should have about 12 slices. Sprinkle the eggplant on both sides with kosher salt, layer them in a colander, and let stand for 1 hour. (I was impatient and only let them drain for about a half hour… worked out just fine.) Press the moisture from the eggplant and blot them dry with paper towels. Pour olive (or canola) oil to a depth of 1 inch in a deep, heavy saucepan or large skillet (I used a cast iron pan) and heat to 360ºF on a deep-frying thermometer. (I did not use a thermometer — just watched the oil and tested when I thought it was ready.) Place 3 to 4 eggplant slices in the hot oil and cook until the slices take on some color, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the slices to a colander (or paper-towel lined plate) to drain. Repeat with remaining slices.
2. Meanwhile, make the stuffing. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, ricotta, lemon zest, juice, thyme and salt.
3. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Spoon tomato sauce into a medium-sized baking dish (or individual gratin dishes) till bottom of dish is covered in a thin layer. Place a spoonful of filling at one end of each of the eggplant slices. Roll the slice around the filling and place it seam-side down in the dish on top of the tomato sauce. Spoon a tablespoon of cream (or less) over each roll to moisten. Bake until the edges of sauce around the sides of the dish are dark and the rolls are nicely caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with the Asiago (or parm) before serving.
* After burning a batch of homemade bread crumbs, I decided to go with Panko. If you want to make homemade, do something like this:
Homemade Bread Crumbs
3 slices day-old bread*, each 1-inch thick, torn into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 T. olive oil
kosher salt
1/2 tsp. herbes de provence** (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a bowl, toss the torn bread with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the herbes if using. Spread the bread evenly on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Midway through baking, redistribute the croutons if they are coloring unevenly. Once cooled, place croutons in a ziplock bag and using a rolling pin or your hands, crumble them more finely.
24 Comments
Do you think its possible to just roast the eggplant slices instead of frying them?
Well, I wondered about that, too. The thing is is that the frying makes the eggplant really pliable. Do you think roasting would do the same? That would be an awesome alternative. I worried that roasting might not make them as malleable, which would make rolling difficult. I would love to know your thoughts!
Did you fry the panko in olive oil, using the same method as your bread crumbs?
Regarding other methods for making the eggplant pliable: I have a grill recipe for a stuffed eggplant and they have you just blanch the sliced eggplant for about 30-60 seconds in boiling water. Has worked perfectly for me so you might give that a try…Not too long or it falls apart. It’s fast enough that I generally do one slice at a time which eliminates the stress factor. I have the Tartine book and will have to look much more closely…I primarily use it for the bread recipes but this looks divine. Thanks.
Hi Cathy — I did not fry the panko in olive oil Just added it right in. Truthfully, you can barely taste the bread crumbs, which makes me wonder if they’re even necessary? Perhaps they add some body? I looked up a similar recipe in a Mario Batali cookbook, and Batali uses no bread crumbs. Now, that said, if I had fried the panko in olive oil, it probably would have had a little more body and crunch, which might have been more detectable. Let me know if you make any discoveries!
Thanks for your thoughts, Dee. I love the idea of blanching vs. frying. Frying always feels like such an effort to me. And I hate having all of that leftover oil. I have one more eggplant on hand — might have to give this method a try tonight. THanks!
This dish looks fabulous.
I bake eggplant slices all the time – I love eggplant – and have found I really don’t need to do the salt-and-wait step, and I never fry eggplant anymore. When I bake the slices (usually cut round and thicker than these, sometimes peeled, sometimes not), I preheat the oven to about 425 to 450, then pour 2-4 tablespoons olive oil on on a cookie sheet or flat pan, depending on the amount of eggplant I’m cooking. Then I dip each slice of eggplant in the oil on the pan, turn it over so the other side gets a bit of oil, and slide it to the edge, filling up the cookie sheet this way. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the slices over and bake for 8-10 more minutes – and eat when cool with a sprinkling of Kosher salt and some lemon juice squeezed over the top. This method works great, and uses less oil. When I try this recipe, which will be soon, I intend to bake the eggplant, for about 5 minutes per side instead of 10, or until they brown slightly.
Can’t wait.
Jani — thank you for this! I have a recipe from a Cooks Illustrated book for eggplant parm, and I think they bake the eggplant just as you describe. I love this idea. It sounds so light and delicious and not fussy at all! Just my style.
I’ve done this with zucchini and I think the recipe may have originated in ANTIPASTI: The Little Dishes of Italy by Julia della Croce. I haven’t revisited it in years, but it was always very popular when I served it. Thanks for reminding me and for the idea of using eggplant, too.
Chris
Ali, this dish looks incredible. I can’t wait to make this with my homemade ricotta and tomato sauce. Gorgeous photos!
First, I love those dishes – too stinking cute. Next, what a beautiful dinner that is! Like the other commenters, I never fry eggplant either. So much effort and mess. I also find that, at this time of year when eggplants are gorgeous and not bitter, the salting and waiting step is not necessary. I usually either dry bake my slices until they are golden or I brush each slice individually with olive oil. I love Jani’s tip for dipping them in olive oil!
Thanks Dana! It’s so nice to read so many comments about baking vs. frying. I don’t think i’ll ever fry again. Too much work, and it seems unnecessary. And I don’t think I’ll ever salt eggplant again — waste of time. Eggplant is all of a sudden becoming not such a fussy vegetable afterall!
That is gorgeous. I’ve been toying with making homemade ricotta — having these to put it into might just throw me over the edge!
I have never seen eggplant look more delicious. And I adore the little baking dishes too,
I made this last night. It was so delicious, my fiance told me I could sell it for a lot of money
Thanks for such a great recipe! I brushed the eggplant with oil and baked for ~ 15 minutes, it worked out great. The homemade ricotta is definitely worth it! I usually don’t even like ricotta. Beautiful pictures!
This makes me so happy Kirsten! I know, homemade ricotta is almost a different food, right?
This has quickly become one of my favorite dishes to make! Thank you thank you thank you!
I made this recipe by baking the eggplant and skipped the bread crumbs and cream. It turned out really well and everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Liz — so good to know that you can bake the eggplant and skip the breadcrumbs and cream. I sort of felt the bread crumbs were superfluous. And the cream is perhaps unnecessary, too. Thanks!
I love this recipe. I shortened my prep time (considerably) the second time I made these by broiling the eggplant. I sliced them .25″ thick, brushed them on both sides with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then put them on a baking sheet and in the oven (broil on high). I put this in the oven for about 8 minutes (keep an eye on them, this time prob. isn’t exact). They rolled just as well as when they were fried, if not easier! Probably healthier, too.
Jenna, thank you for this! I hate frying! Seriously, that’s the only thing that keeps me from making this recipe more often. I will definitely try your broiling method next time. Thanks!
These were amazing! I sliced and grilled the eggplant on our indoor griddler with great success.
most delicious thing EVER! the homemade ricotta cheese makes it! baked the slices of eggplant and didnt salt them (much easier)– i will be dreaming about this….
Keri — This makes me so happy. I bake the eggplant slices now, too, thanks to suggestions from commenters. You are right — so much easier! Makes it not such a fussy dish overall.