Rolled Eggplant Involtini Pasta
Rolled eggplant involtini pasta is a classic Sicilian recipe. Delicate eggplant slices are filled with spaghetti, tomato sauce and scrumptious melted cheese. The exposed spaghetti will get crispy in the oven while the inside stays moist and soft. This recipe is impressive to look at and divine to eat. Make it for a twist on a classic pasta dish.
Servings 4
Equipment
- 1 Grill You can also use an electric skillet or hot plate. Best if it has ridges.
- 1 Baking Tray Lined with baking paper
- 1 Potato masher
- 1 Skillet Large
- 1 bowl Medium
- 1 Plate
- 1 Garlic press If you dont have one, you can finely chop the garlic
- 1 pot Large
- Tongs
- 1 Spatula
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 Serving plate Or several if plating individually
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant A large one is best. Slice lengthwise so you can wrap around a bundle of spaghetti
- 250 grams Spaghetti Or 9oz/½ a box
- 1 tin Peeled tomatoes Typically 400g
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 handful Pecorino Romano Cheese The original recipe uses salted ricotta, but pecorino romano is easier to find.
- 1 bunch Basil
- 5 balls bocconcini cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil EVOO
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/356F.
- Prepare a tray with baking paper.
- Heat up your grill or hot plate over medium-high heat and add the eggplant slices.
- Sprinkle salt on the eggplant while it cooks OR salt the raw eggplant 20 minutes before cooking your dish and let the liquid form and fall from each strip. You can then pat them dry and they are ready to grill.
- Cook the eggplant until there are defined grill marks on both sides and the eggplant has softened.
- Once the eggplant is done set them aside on a plate.
- Place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl and squish with a potato masher until smooth. You can also use your hands to breakdown any big pieces.
- Put a large pot of water on your stove and bring it to a boil.
- To make the sauce, place 4 tbsp EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat and crush two cloves of garlic then add them in.
- Only cook the garlic for 30 seconds or less and after around 25 seconds, add the peeled tomatoes into the skillet, and stir to combine before adding some salt and pepper.
- Gently cook the sauce mixture on medium heat, stirring occasionally and in the meantime add 1 tbsp rock salt to the pot of boiling water.
- Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Make sure it is al dente since it will also cook in the oven.
- When there are only a few minutes left for your pasta to be done, tear up the basil leaves and add them to your tomato sauce.
- When the pasta is finished, take a mug and fill it with pasta water, then strain your pasta, add it to the sauce and quickly mix to combine.
- Add in a little splash of pasta water from the reserved mug then toss your pasta in the sauce to combine and remove from the heat.
- Place one eggplant slice onto a plate and carefully place a small bundle of spaghetti in the middle then tear little pieces of bocconcini cheese and add them on top.
- Carefully roll up the eggplant, starting from the smaller side. Make sure that your roll is tight and no filling spills out. The spaghetti should be slightly sticking out either end of the eggplant once rolled.
- Next, place the eggplant roll in the parchment paper-lined baking tray, seam-side down so that it stays rolled.
- Take a spoonful of tomato sauce and add it to the rolled eggplant, gently spreading it over the top.
- Sprinkle some pecorino romano cheese on top of the eggplant - you can even add some extra pieces of bocconcini on top and these will then melt in the oven.
- Repeat steps 20-25 for the remaining eggplant slices until all are used then place the finished eggplant rolls in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Take the eggplant rolls out of the oven. Time to enjoy!