Eggplant Involtini: The Easy Italian Dish You Must Try

By Vincenzo's Plate · 45 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and line a tray with baking paper.
2. Heat a grill or griddle over medium-high heat and cook the eggplant slices until grill marks show on both sides and they have softened. Salt them while cooking, or salt the raw slices 20 minutes beforehand, pat dry, then grill.
3. Mash the peeled tomatoes in a bowl with a potato masher until smooth, breaking up any large pieces with your hands.
4. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
5. For the sauce, heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crush two garlic cloves, add them and cook for no more than 30 seconds.
6. After about 25 seconds, add the mashed tomatoes, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently over medium heat, stirring now and then.
7. Add 1 tablespoon of rock salt to the boiling water, then add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, as it will cook more in the oven.
8. When the pasta has a few minutes left, tear the basil leaves into the tomato sauce.
9. Reserve a mugful of pasta water, drain the spaghetti, add it to the sauce and toss quickly. Add a splash of the reserved water and toss again, then remove from the heat.
10. Place an eggplant slice on a plate, add a small bundle of spaghetti in the middle and top with torn pieces of bocconcini.
11. Roll the eggplant tightly from the narrow end so nothing spills out, leaving spaghetti poking out of both ends.
12. Place each roll seam-side down on the lined tray. Spread a spoonful of tomato sauce over each roll, then sprinkle with pecorino romano and, if you like, extra bocconcini.
13. Repeat with the remaining slices, then bake the rolls for 10 minutes.

Summarized from Vincenzo's Plate's video. Watch it for the details.

More recipes with

GarlicCheeseTomatoPecorino cheeseSpaghettiEggplant