Eggplant Rollatini
Golden-brown, breaded eggplant rolled with a creamy ricotta filling with garlic, parsley, mozzarella, and Parmigiano, then baked with marinara sauce and melted cheese.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 574kcal
Cost: $15
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 9x13 baking tray
- 1 medium bowl
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 cup marinara or Sunday Sauce divided
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed for frying
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella for topping
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano for topping
Italian Seasoned Breadcrumb Mixture
- 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Ricotta Filling
- 16 ounces ricotta
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices.
- In a medium bowl, combine 16 oz ricotta, ½ cup of mozzarella, ½ cup of Parmigiano, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the minced garlic.
Breaded Eggplant Rollatini
- Combine the 1 cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup Parmigiano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley on a plate. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Dip each eggplant slice into the eggs, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture until completely coated.
- Heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, fry the eggplant in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool. Add more olive oil as needed.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lay the cooled eggplant slices on a cutting board. Place about 2 tablespoons of ricotta filling in the center of each slice, then roll the eggplant around the filling.
- Repeat for all of the eggplant and secure each roll with a toothpick.
- Spread ½ cup of marinara or Sunday Sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the eggplant rollatini seam-side down in the dish. Spoon another ½ cup of sauce over the rolls, then sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmigiano and ½ cup mozzarella.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the ricotta filling is set. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
Unbreaded Eggplant Rollatini
- Place the eggplant slices on a cooling rack and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let rest for 15–20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pat the eggplant dry and arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet greased with olive oil. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until tender enough to roll and lightly golden. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.
- Using the same ricotta filling as above, place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each eggplant slice. Roll the eggplant around the filling.
- Spread ½ cup of marinara or Sunday Sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the rolls seam-side down to keep them closed. No toothpicks are needed. Spoon another ½ cup of sauce over the rolls, then sprinkle with ¼ cup of Parmigiano.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the filling is set and the rollatini are heated through.
Notes
- Picking an eggplant. Pick one that feels heavy for its size with firm, smooth skin and no soft spots. For rollatini, look for large eggplants that will give you long, wide slices.
- Frying eggplant. Lightly frying the eggplant is key, unless you have a deep fryer. When I fry in extra virgin olive oil, I keep the temperature at medium or lower and slowly fry the eggplant until it's golden brown. If the oil is smoking, it's too hot.
- Let the eggplant cool. After frying the eggplant, let it cool completely to room temperature before adding the filling. Otherwise, the ricotta will start to get runny while it sits.
- Don't drown the eggplant in sauce. Use a thin layer underneath the rolls and spoon a little over the top, leaving some edges exposed. Too much sauce will soften the breadcrumb coating, so keeping it light helps preserve those crisp edges.
Nutrition
Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1818mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1243IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 524mg | Iron: 3mg
