I love eggplant, fried, baked or smoked over an open fire, this ancient (first mentioned in Chinese texts about 544 AD) fruit is versatile and delicious. Over the years I’ve made curries, ratatouille, Eggplant Parmesan and stuffed eggplant. So what to make? A perusal of the internet revealed Eggplant Rollatini. Breaded and fried eggplant wrapped around ricotta, baked in a tomato sauce served over pasta. That sounds good!
This is new recipe for me and really combines two recipes.
The first is for ricotta cheese. I got the inspiration to try this from fellow blogger ChgoJohn over at from the Bartolini kitchens who has a wonderful series on homemade cheese. If you are not familiar with John I suggest you check out his blog. Poignant memories combine with mouth-watering Italian home cooking. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Of all his cheeses, this is the simplest so it made sense to me to start here. As John says, the recipe comes originally from Albert Capone of Capone Foods Cambridge. Make this! The combination of easy and unbelievably delicious demand it! You will need a thermometer, either candy or fryer thermometer will work just fine. You will also need some cheese cloth which lives up to its name here!
Homemade Ricotta
INGREDIENTS
1 pint heavy cream
1 tbsp table salt
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
METHOD
- Line colander with cheese cloth
- Combine milk, cream, and salt in a large sauce pan
- Heat over medium heat. stir often to keep from scorching.
- Bring to a temp of 185-190F.
- Add vinegar and stir gently for 15 -30 seconds.
- Keep on the heat another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and let rest 15-20 minutes.
- Scoop curds from pot into cheese cloth lined colander. (do yourself a favor and taste it at this point, warm, cheesey, buttery, fantastic!)
- Let drain at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- When drained, remove from cheese cloth and pack into airtight container, place back in fridge until ready to use.
It’s written this will keep up to 12 days but I don’t know…. I’m pretty sure it won’t last that long because I tasted some on toast – some with just coarse salt and another with a drizzle of honey. I almost wept at how good it was. Really.
But that is just the start, on to the rollatini (sounds like a made up name by someone who does not speak Italian)
Eggplant Rollatini
INGREDIENTS
2 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups bread crumbs seasoned with dried basil, oregano and garlic powder
1.5 lbs ricotta – room temperature
proscuitto – (optional – omit for vegetarian version)
Oil for frying – eggplant will soak it up. To use less use a nonstick pan
16 oz of your favorite tomato sauce (my last two jars from last summer!)
Mozzarella to top
1/4 cup Parmesan to top
Cooked thin pasta of your choice – angel hair, spaghetti, linguine are all perfect.
METHOD
- Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander let rest 30 minutes. This is not so much to “get rid of bitterness” but rather to remove water.
- Rinse off eggplant and pat dry
- Dredge eggplant slices in egg, then bread crumbs
- Fry lightly over medium heat until golden brown
- Remove to cookie rack or paper towel lined plate and repeat until slices are all done.
- Let eggplant cool to room temperature
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Put a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. I used a 8″x 11″ dish
- Put a thin layer of that delicious homemade ricotta on the eggplant. If you are using prosciutto, add a layer now.
- Roll it up (stem end to base) gently and place seam side down in baking dish.
- Repeat until pan is full
- Spoon tomato sauce over the top of the rolls, top with mozzarella slices, sprinkle with Parmesan
- Bake in oven 20-30 minutes or until until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Serve with pasta.
It’s not often I make something that makes me say “WOW.” But this was it. Sure it is a little time consuming, but it is so worth it! Perfect for a romantic weekend dinner or a dinner party.
Until next time, Eat well & Keep digging!
July 23, 2012
Wow David-that looks utterly scrumptious! I’ll be definitely making this! I shall also be giving the cheese making a go-though need to convert everything to metric…
July 23, 2012
The cheese making is easy – and googling ricotta and metric yielded more than a few results. Have fun!
July 23, 2012
This really does look quite wonderful. I was very interested to see your ricotta recipe as I hadn’t seen one that used vinegar yet. I may try it although I think the cost of a gallon of milk and a pint of cream would not make it work it to me to do it all the time since a container of ricotta only costs a couple dollars…still, that would depend on the taste, which, of course, sometimes over rules cost.
July 23, 2012
With the addition of the cream the taste is quite rich. When it was still warm it was amazing!
July 23, 2012
I always get a kick reading of someone’s experience making ricotta this way. I’ve never heard of anyone having a failure and the results are always a surprise to the budding cheese-maker. I’ve mentioned that my soon-to-be 90 year-old Aunt hasn’t bought ricotta since the day I showed her this recipe. The cheese is just so very creamy. This, David, is how you get caught up in it all. “If ricotta was so easy to make, why not cream cheese?”, then, “Mascarpone?”, etc., etc., etc.
I am definitely pinning this rollatini recipe so that I don’t lose it. The flavors of the fried eggplant, prosciutto, and freshly made ricotta must be incredible together. You really used your ricotta to full effect here. Well done!
July 23, 2012
Oh! And of course, David, thanks for your kind words about my blog. I was so excited by your ricotta triumph and rollatini recipe that my good manners went out the window!
July 23, 2012
It was very delicious and as you say the ricotta so simple to make! It’s going to bring a whole new level to my cooking! And you’re welcome, I meant every word! Thanks for sharing your cheesey knowledge!
July 24, 2012
That recipe sounds absolutely mouth-watering! I have not hitherto been much of a fan of eggplants, but I am hoping to change my views if I can successfully grow some of my own. Maybe they are an acquired taste? Some years ago I detested olives, but now I love them.
July 24, 2012
While the recipe has many steps, none of it is complicated. Eggplants by themselves don’t have a great deal a flavor IMHO. But what they are good at is absorbing other flavors. In the past cooks were told to salt them to get rid of bitterness, but for the most part much of the bitterness has been bred out of these fruit. I hope you have success with yours. This summer has been ideal for eggplants as it has been blazing hot. I have 3 plants – 2 globe and 1 ichiban. One globe I have harvested 2-3 fruits, and is vurrently only in bloom. The other globe has 4 fruits on it and the ichiban has exploded and is currently carrying 7! I think they like the high heat.
July 24, 2012
Oh this is perfect. I am a big fan of eggplant and can’t wait to give this a try. Making the cheese will be a challenge ……..My few attempts have yet to prove successful and lord knows how I hate to fail in the kitchen.
July 24, 2012
Don’t be afraid of the cheese it is quite easy. Four ingredients and heat + time. If you are concerend you could alsways use store -bought ricotta. I am sure the recipe would be delicious anyway
August 11, 2012
Hi, I’m here from ChgoJohn’s blog, checking out your delightful eggplant dish. We’re going the healthier route so making this would definitely eliminate the frying part but it would work very nicely grilling the eggplant. I loved John’s home made ricotta. Thanks for a great twist on an old favourite, David.
August 11, 2012
Hi Eva! Thanks for coming by! I’m sure you could bake the eggplant as well. Same thing could be done withe the Ratatouille Napoleon as well. Great point for those minding their fat intake.