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Great Recipes
To Cook And Enjoy In Your Own Home
Servings
4 to 6
Ready In:
10 Minutes
Prep Time:
20 Minutes
Good For:
Meatless Dinners, Lent, Entertaining
Rollatini di Melanzana (Eggplant Rollatini)
Ingredients
1 large Eggplant, peeled and sliced in 1/4″ long panels
1 cup All Purpose Flour
2 Extra Large Eggs
1 cup Milk
3 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
2 cups Vegetable Oil, for pan frying
1 pound Vermicelli Pasta, uncooked
1 cup Fresh Basil Pesto
To Taste Salt & Pepper
6 cups Marinara Sauce
½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 tablespoon Parsley, chopped
Step 1
Cook vermicelli pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Rinse in cold water, drain well, toss in the fresh basil pesto and season to taste with salt & pepper.
Step 2
After slicing the eggplant, lightly salt each side and place between layers of absorbent paper towels for 5 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
Step 3
Beat together eggs and milk, then dredge each slice of the eggplant with flour, dunk in the egg milk mixture and coat with the Italian bread crumbs. Repeat with all slices and set them aside.
Step 4
Pour frying oil in a shallow skillet and heat to approximately 350 F. Fry eggplant slices on each side until golden brown and reserve on absorbent paper towels.
Step 5
Allow eggplant slices to cool then portion approximately 1/2 cup of the pesto seasoned vermicelli pasta at one end of the eggplant slice and roll tightly to create a roll approximately 2″ in diameter.
Step 6
Place each roll in a lightly greased or buttered casserole dish and top all rolls with 2 to 3 TBSP of the Marinara sauce.
Step 7
Top the Marinara Sauce on each with approximately 2 TBSP of grated Parmesan cheese and bake the entire casserole dish of rollatini in a 375 F oven for approximately 20 minutes or until fully heated through.
Step 8
Place the remaining Marinara sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Step 9
Remove the rollatini from the casserole dish and plate with the additional Marinara sauce and a sprinkle of additional Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Step 1
Cook vermicelli pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Rinse in cold water, drain well, toss in the fresh basil pesto and season to taste with salt & pepper.
Step 2
After slicing the eggplant, lightly salt each side and place between layers of absorbent paper towels for 5 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
Step 3
Beat together eggs and milk, then dredge each slice of the eggplant with flour, dunk in the egg milk mixture and coat with the Italian bread crumbs. Repeat with all slices and set them aside.
Step 4
Pour frying oil in a shallow skillet and heat to approximately 350 F. Fry eggplant slices on each side until golden brown and reserve on absorbent paper towels.
Step 5
Allow eggplant slices to cool then portion approximately 1/2 cup of the pesto seasoned vermicelli pasta at one end of the eggplant slice and roll tightly to create a roll approximately 2″ in diameter.
Step 6
Place each roll in a lightly greased or buttered casserole dish and top all rolls with 2 to 3 TBSP of the Marinara sauce.
Step 7
Top the Marinara Sauce on each with approximately 2 TBSP of grated Parmesan cheese and bake the entire casserole dish of rollatini in a 375 F oven for approximately 20 minutes or until fully heated through.
Step 8
Place the remaining Marinara sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Step 9
Remove the rollatini from the casserole dish and plate with the additional Marinara sauce and a sprinkle of additional Parmesan cheese and parsley.
A Little Story About This Dish…
This classic Italian eggplant dish is a MUST try. Even people who have never tried (or are scared) of eggplant LOVE this recipe.
This is a meatless dish and a good choice for Lent but you CAN add some Italian sausage or chicken or even shrimp to the stuffing for a truly exceptional dinner party dish.
Vermicelli or angel hair pasta is preferred for this dish as it allows the nested pasta to stay within the rolled eggplant slices.
This recipe can be prepared in advance and baked as much as 24 hours later if you’re preparing ahead for a large dinner or a party.
Key Ingredients:
