Eggplant Rollup
Appetizer or dinner this eggplant treatment is not usual, and fun to do! Definitely Italian in flavor making it so delicious. Cheesy basil stuffed tender rolls of eggplant are so good. Add a plain red sauce or not. It’s Perfect!
Apparently I’m into eggplant. I have quite a few recipes with this ingredient. If you’d told me when I was younger this would be one of my favorite vegetables I’m not sure I would have agreed. Here are a few other eggplant recipes you might enjoy.
Recipe
1 Large eggplant-cut across into 15-20 slices approximately
Salt
Olive oil (Option 1: 2-3 T, Option 2: up to 1/4 for frying)
1 Recipe of pesto here
8 Ounces of firm mozzarella cheese-sliced thin
Slice eggplant across and salt both sides. Place into colander and allow to drain for about 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly after and pat dry with paper towels. Eggplant tends to retain oil when fried in oil. Here are two options to avoid this. Place the eggplant rubbed in a little olive oil on both sides on a baking sheet. You may need to use cooking spray on the baking sheet to avoid sticking. Using parchment paper at this temperature might be a bit risky. Roast at 425 degrees F preheated oven until lightly browned about 10-15 minutes. Second option is to dip the eggplant into flour before frying in oil. Fry until lightly browned on both sides.
Spread each cooked slice of eggplant with about 1 teaspoon of pesto (my recipe or yours or store purchased).
Place a slice of mozzarella over the pesto and roll up the eggplant. Place seam down into a baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Let rest and serve with hors d’oeuvre skewers, or serve several plated with a side salad as a dinner meal. Add a dollop of red sauce if you desire.
Rich and delicious!