Eggplant Rolatini

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This is one of those dishes I haven’t made in ages! I normally don’t fry eggplant anymore, its too time consuming, and it totals out my stove, so roasting and grilling is usually the norm here. But having said that, I think the special quality of this dish comes out with the breading and frying process, so once or twice a year, what the heck, go for it!!

The coating is so very light, you won’t get that heavy tasting feeling at all!

Slice your eggplant lengthwise, and do salt your eggplant to let some of that bitterness come out. Pat it dry. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shake off excess, and then quickly dip in beaten eggs. I use canola oil, enough to cover the bottom of my pan, med high heat, watch out they cook fast!
Drain on paper towel, season with salt and pepper. You might have to wipe out your pan with a paper towel and start with some fresh oil if leftover brown bits start to burn.

The filling is made with ricotta cheese, a handful of shredded mozzarella, grated romano or parmesan , s&p, chopped fresh basil or parsley, and an egg to bind it all. Mix it all together, spread it on the eggplant slice and roll. Place them single layer in a baking dish a top them with a light fresh marinara sauce, and more grated cheese.

Bake 375 for about 20 mins. The last couple of minutes I like to stick the whole pan under the broiler, and crisp it up a bit. But don’t walk away!! Keep checking so you don’t burn them!
No doubt we will be growing eggplant in our garden this year!
UPDATE ON OUR GARDEN
The hubby’s going all out! He cemented 4 poles in the ground and took some chicken wire and made a fence around it to keep out the rabbits. He also threw some compost on the dirt. Next week he will make a small gate on the right side so we can get in and out.
He’s getting pretty fancy, he even put 4 finials on top of the posts for a little decorative touch!
Watch out Martha!!!

Buon Appetito!
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Comments

  1. Karen O'Brien says

    I have to tell you, I just found your eggplant rolatini looking up what to do with a bumper crop of eggplant. It looked like something I remember my mom (Italian-American) doing when I was a kid, so I tried it. It has got to be one of the best things I ever ate! I can’t thank you enough for the recipe and the inspiration! I chilled the finished product like my mom used to do with eggplant parmesan on hot summers days, ate it cold and can’t get enough of it! Fantastic recipe–I’ll be cooking more off this blog. Take care, Marie, and thanks again!

  2. This looks so delicious! Came across your blog on Google & LOVE it! I am your newest follower!

  3. One of my favorite dishes!

  4. once I made eggplant rollatini there was no going back to any other way of making it. Its now demanded by my oldest son and my father! The only addition I have to mine is spinach. Gotta love spinach and ricotta together!! Lovin’ the blog! Thanks for the follow on twitter!!

  5. So funny my daughter ordered this as take out to eat tonight…trying to get her baby to come soon 😉 As she was munching away, she asked why I didn’t make this? Same reason as you, a bit of a mess to fry. I love the roll up idea with the ricotta though.

    I did tell her if she liked it so much I would plant some eggplant this year and have a real go of it 🙂

    Great minds think alike. What variety is your hubby planting?

  6. Marie- Your eggplant looks superb… always a favorite dish for me… I can almost taste those crisp edges! I need to pop them into the broiler next time I make this one.

    Johnny T

  7. These look amazing and the garden looks good as well. We just need for things to dry out a bit around here.

  8. your pictures always have me drooling with delight!

    Brava!!!

  9. Wow, this looks like an amazing dish. I can’t wait to plant some eggplant this year.

    Your garden spot looks wonderful. Nothing more fun than growing your own veggies!

  10. Perfection!!

  11. This may sound crazy, but I was just drooling over Nigella Lawson’s recipe for this just this morning and have so been craving it. Yours is absolutely gorgeous – maybe this is the recipe that I’ll use! And, yeah, while we are at it, might as well fry! Beautiful!
    Cool garden; my husband has been dreaming of one lately, but, alas, no yard!

  12. I really like this dish. Do you think it would lose if I did prep the night before and baked it off same day as serving?

  13. One of my favs….Good luck on that garden.

  14. It must be about a year since I rolled up some eggplants. Your delicious dish is prodding me to make some more…soon!

  15. I bought an eggplant specifically to make another similar dish I found on your blog. Sadly my eggplant sits in the fridge still so there may still be hope to try this version:D

  16. Oh my goodness.. I can eat a whole dish of these right now. They look fabulous Marie.. and your garden is going to be wonderful. “Hey.. you’ll probably have a lot harvested by early August!!” 🙂

  17. I’ve never made egg plant parmesan, my family is so narrow mine when it comes to food!! We just tilled our first big garden too, I can’t wait to start planting the veggies!!

  18. Oh…one of my favorite eggplant dishes. Looks delicious! And I love your garden! I got mine started recently too! Can’t wait to see what you grow!

  19. Ienvy the garden. One day I’m going to have a home with a yard!

    I think rollatini are my favorite way to eat eggplant. Thanks for the recipe.

  20. Your eggplant looks soooo good! We have always fried our eggplant dishes too. We’ve always layered ours to make eggplant parmesan. But rolling it, rolatini style is a great twist! They look like manacotti,Yum!!

    Hey, love the detail on the fence posts btw, your husband has good taste, and your right, look out Martha! LOL

  21. Eggplant is my favourite vegetable! I like this dish too.

    Nice to meet you, Larissa

  22. Sounds delicious.
    Oh I am excited for your garden, can wait to see updates as the summer progresses.
    LL

  23. We love eggplant rollatini too! It is a special treat when eggplant are in season. Your slices look so nice and thin Marie –do you use a mandolin to cut them?

    Bravo to your husband on his garden patch! Looking good!

  24. I use exactly the same recipe as yours for my eggplant, but I brown off some loose italian sausage and add it to the ricotta mixture. It gives it an extra layer of flavor

  25. All your food always looks so healthy and delicious. Love this. I need to be consious of salt and fried foods now, but this would work.Look at that great sauce.

  26. those look so good! can’t wait to try them.

    here is a tip on the garden: the rabbits can dig under the fence. at your local nursery, you can get dried fox urine, yep you read that right! Sprinkle it around the edge of your garden and it will keep the rabbits away! Another tip is to go to your hair salon and ask for a bag of hair clippings….sprinkle those around the garden edge and it will help too!

    can’t wait to see all you grow!

  27. i thought i commented but i don’t see it there… hmmmm….

    well – i said i loved this dish and never make it and i should. or something like that.

    cyberspace is a deep, dark mystery..

  28. i love this dish
    and i never ever make it
    weird…

    maybe i’ll make it for a vegetarian friend of mine soon. i owe her a dinner…

    thanks for the reminder
    it really does look wonderful.

  29. How exciting, can’t wait to see more of your garden post.

    The eggplant rolatini look so delicious.
    Cheers,
    elra

  30. Funny, My husband just told me he’s been craving eggplant rolatini. Looks like I’ll be making it soon. Love the garden.

  31. The rollatini lokos amazing. May even have to plant eggplant. Yay to your husband – what a great garden. It is getting time for me to cut away last year’s dead stuff … tomorrow. You will have so much to savor!

  32. Your garden looks like it’s making a “smiley” face! 🙂 Love the fancy posts, too! Looking forward to all the yummy garden produce recipes you’ll post! Your eggplant looks so amazing, and I bet they taste outta this world! YUM!

  33. Oh this dish looks so good. I love that you made it nice and light and not heavy at all. I hate all that frying too.
    This is so nicely done! Brava!

  34. There is nothing like the aroma of eggplant frying in the kitchen, Marie! That’s a favorite in our house, for sure. Well worth messing up the stovetop.
    It looks like you have really nice soil in your garden — what fun. 🙂

  35. A Classic! Beautiful. And I’m excited for you about your garden. It’s so much fun.

  36. The eggplant looks really good – I really need to try this recipe because I am sure we would all love it.

    I am so jealous of your cute garden – I can’t wait to see what you grow in there.

  37. I love eggplant and this recipe looks delicious. We’ve got our garden ready for planting… can’t wait for some veggies!

  38. These look fabulous, Marie! What a great dinner. I am loving watching your garden progress – it is looking great!

  39. Fabulous eggplant dish – would love to try it soon!

  40. This sounds so yummy. I never had eggplant cooked this way before. I am going to try this. Now I need to find someone to eat it with me since I am married to the pickiest eater alive.

  41. I haven’t had this in so long! Now you have me craving it! I love eggplant, just wish that my bf shared that love with me!

  42. I’ve had an eggplant rollatini in my draft folder for a while now. It may just stay there — yours looks superb.

  43. This is one of my all-time faves, but, like you, I hate to fry. I like your version as well as the panko-encrusted version. Last time I made this, I decided to cheat and buy ready-made slices from a local Italian deli. It was mushy! Never again. This is a dish you need to put the effort into. Yours looks so good.

  44. I love this dish, Marie. And the garden is really coming along! Lucky you! Wait until everything is growing. You will love it!
    hugs and kisses,
    Maryann xox

  45. Wow! Your husband is really going all out with the garden. I drew out a few lines in my front yard to expand several flower beds. It’s going to be really exciting to actually dig up all that dirt.

  46. You know how I feel about eggplant.
    I love it too much. I could lay down on the blanket of fried eggplant slices.
    Eaten room temperature is my favorite way.
    The rollatine looks to die for!

  47. I love eggplant rolatini and yours looks sooo good!!! I’m excited to hear more updates on the garden 🙂

  48. Your eggplant rollatini look fantastic. I have a friend whose specialty is this dish and we are always asking her to make it when we gather for a meal. Your garden is looking mighty spiffy with those wooden posts and finials! Is that a weathervane or sundial in the center? Our garden looks downright scruffy compared to yours. I have that same little squirrel cement sculpture.

  49. Love the stuffed eggplant rollups, and your garden. Kudos hubby, you did a fine job.

  50. This looks like what I will make for dinner Tuesday night! My hubby deserves a treat- poor man has been dieting with me “by association” 😉 This really looks fabulous! Also, my daughter will be coming home from her 3 week stay in Chicago, and I think this will be a nice welcome home meal as well!

    The garden looks fab, too! I’m gonna really watch it’s progress- I need some good garden tips!

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