Description
Eggplant Rollatini is a delicious Italian-inspired dish featuring tender eggplant slices rolled with a creamy ricotta filling, baked in a rich tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese. This recipe combines crispy fried eggplant with a savory, cheesy interior and hearty tomato sauce for a comforting and flavorful main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tablespoon salt
Sauce
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Filling
- 1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Coating
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Dash salt
- Dash pepper
- Oil for frying (about 1/2 inch depth)
Instructions
- Prepare Eggplant: Peel and slice the eggplant lengthwise into fifteen 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place the slices in a colander over a plate, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt, toss to coat, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Make Sauce: While the eggplant is resting, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, then add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, parsley, sugar, salt, dried basil, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors.
- Rinse Eggplant: After 30 minutes, rinse the salted eggplant slices under cold water to remove excess salt and pat dry with paper towels.
- Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, minced parsley, beaten egg, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Prepare Coating: In a shallow bowl, beat the 3 eggs. In another shallow bowl, combine seasoned bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, minced garlic, minced parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Coat Eggplant Slices: Dip each eggplant slice first into the beaten eggs, then dredge in the bread crumb mixture, ensuring even coating.
- Fry Eggplant: Heat oil about 1/2 inch deep in a deep skillet or electric skillet to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the coated eggplant slices in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Assemble Rollatini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce into the bottom of an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish. Spoon about 2 rounded tablespoons of the cheese filling over each eggplant slice, then carefully roll them up and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Bake: Spoon the remaining sauce over the eggplant roll-ups and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish and bake for 35 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
Notes
- Salting the eggplant helps reduce bitterness and removes excess moisture, which prevents sogginess during cooking.
- If preferred, baked eggplant slices can be used instead of frying to reduce oil content, though frying adds crispiness.
- Fresh parsley in the filling and coating adds bright herbaceous flavor, but dried parsley can be substituted if fresh is unavailable.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in the sauce.
- The rollatini can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking; just add 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rollatini
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
