Eggplant Involtini

Name: Eggplant Involtini
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 eggplants, peeled; Pam cooking spray; 2 Tbsp Olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes (whole, peeled); 1/2 cup basil (fresh), chopped and divided into 3 portions; 8 oz ricotta; 1 slice sandwich bread; 1 1/2 oz shredded pecorino romano cheese; 1 lemon, juiced; salt and pepper

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

Nyack, NY

This recipe, adapted from America's Test Kitchen, takes all the great qualities of eggplant Parmesan and none of the bad. Eggplant can typically be mushy, or worse, oily, but pre-baking the eggplant followed by a quick broil in a simple tomato sauce get around all the bad parts of eggplant parm/lasagna.

A note on ricotta, take the time to buy the good stuff. You'll know it's good if you look at the ingredients and the only listed ingredients are milk (or whey), an acid (or enzyme), and salt. NO gums and/or stabilizers! that's a recipe for watery gritty cheese! Can't find good ricotta? You can make it in 30 min with milk, vinegar and heat via Serious Eats. It seriously makes ALL the difference!

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

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Ingredients

2eggplants, peeled
Pam cooking spray
2 TbspOlive oil
2 clovesgarlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tspdried oregano
1/2 tspred pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz.)tomatoes (whole, peeled)
1/2 cupbasil (fresh), chopped and divided into 3 portions
8 ozricotta
1 slicesandwich bread
1 1/2 ozshredded pecorino romano cheese
1lemon, juiced
salt and pepper

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Steps

1

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place one rack on the lower position, and the other on the second to closest broiler level.
2

Slice the peeled eggplants lengthwise, into the 1/2 inch planks. you should have 12 total slices.
3

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment, and spray with cooking oil.
4

Place the eggplant slices on the sheet pans and spray with more cooking oil. salt and pepper the slices.
5

Bake 30-35 min until tender, and starting to brown. remove from oven and let rest 5 min, to cool. After removing the eggplant, pre-heat the broiler.
6

While the eggplant is cooking, add olive oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper, and salt to a 12" broiler safe skillet. Place the skillet on medium heat and cook the garlic and spices ~1 min.
7

Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender (or finely chop the tomatoes by knife), and add them to the skillet, along with the one portion of the basil.
8

Simmer the tomato sauce on low heat, stirring occasionally, while the eggplant bakes.
9

Process the bread in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs.
10

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, 1 oz of the romano cheese, ricotta, 1 portion of basil, 1/2 tsp of salt, and the lemon juice. fold the mixture until combined.
11

Place the ricotta mixture onto the widest part of the eggplant slices.
12

Roll up the slices and place seam-side down in the tomato sauce.
13

Place under the broiler, and broil 5-10 min until browned.
14

Sprinkle the remaining romano cheese, and the last portion of basil over the broiled eggplant and serve.