Eggplant roll-ups
Grilled aubergine or eggplant roll-ups with savoury ricotta filling makes perfect finger food and a welcome addition to a buffet of mixed antipasti.
My prior experiences with grilled aubergines were not particularly good, so I had my doubts about these eggplant roll-ups, before I tried making them. Fortunately it turned out to be easier than I had feared, because I had taken the time to sprinkle the aubergines with salt before use. This draws out the moisture, so the aubergines didn’t char or melt, like they usually do when I try to skip salting. Instead they became pliable slices that could easily be rolled up around the savoury ricotta filling.
The eggplant roll-ups makes perfect finger food and a welcome addition to a buffet of mixed antipasti with a selection of sausages, cured hams, meatballs and other salted and pickled vegetables such as pickled onion, chicken nuggets and pickled fennel. The appetizing starters can be prepared a couple of hours in advance, and it is much easier than it looks.
Ingredients
2 oblong eggplants / aubergines
Olive oil for frying
200 g fresh ricotta
3 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tbsp capers
fresh basil and mint
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Slice the eggplant in rather thin lengthwise slices, sprinkle with salt and let them sit for a while under pressure to keep them in shape.
Rinse off the salt and pat the eggplant slices dry, before frying them in hot oil until golden brown.
Let the eggplant cool on a sheet of absorbent paper.
Stir ricotta lightly with grated Parmesan finely chopped herbs and capers.
Place a spoonful of ricotta filling on the eggplant, roll up and fasten with a toothpick.
Leave the eggplant roll-ups in the refrigerator until they are ready to be served.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!