What is Rollatini?
According to Wikipedia; Rollatini (sometimes also spelled rollatini or rolletini or Involtini) is an Italian-style dish that is usually made with thin slices of eggplant, which are dusted in wheat flour or lightly breaded and covered with ricotta and often other cheeses and seasonings, then rolled up and baked. Alternatively, veal, chicken, or fish may be used in place of the eggplant. I prefer eggplants because it’s my favorite vegetable.
How to make eggplant Rollatini?
There are many different ways to make Rollatini. You can make them with spinach, with ricotta cheese or goat cheese. I tried many different ways to make Rollatini, and this combination of ingredients is, in my opinion, the best one. I have tried with spinach and ricotta cheese and I found that the ricotta cheese was not bringing enough flavor and liquid to the dish. Also, when I made it with the spinach I found that it had a little bitter taste to it. I did not like it!
I tried with the zucchinis and cottage cheese and it was a winner! Because the cheese and the zucchini are light ingredients it adds freshness and does not make this dish heavy.
The first thing you need to do to make this Eggplant Rollatini is to preheat your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then slice the eggplants in fine slices, but not to thin. After pouring a little bit of oil into a hot skillet and fry each side of the eggplants slices and then set them aside into a plate. Do this step for all the slices.
Now time for the filling.
Grate the zucchinis with a cheese grater or food processor. Slice the onion and set aside. Fry the onions using the same skillet of that you used for the eggplants. Fry the onions until slightly transparent. Add to the fried onion the grated zucchinis and cook them until the water has evaporated. Add the crushed garlic, the salt, and the pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes. Don’t burn the garlic, otherwise, you will get a bitter taste. Now that everything is cooked, pour this mixture into a big mixing bowl. Add to this bowl the cottage cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese. When well mix set aside.
Now for the finale
Pour a little bit of tomato sauce into a baking dish. Put on a slice of the eggplant onto the dish. Scoop up a little bit of the filling and place it in the middle of the eggplant slice and then fold the eggplant slice. Do these steps for all the eggplant slices. When all the Rollatini is done, pour the rest of the tomato sauce. Add the breadcrumbs on top of them. Add the rest of the Parmesan cheese on top of the Rollatini. Cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid. Put in the oven for 30 minutes covered and then cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Voilà!
What to serve with Eggplants Rollatini?
You can serve it with your favorite pasta or a Caesar salad. But at our house, we eat it with my homemade light focaccia, a Caesar salad and a glass of red wine:)
How to impress your guests?
Make your own focaccia and serve them this delicious Italian dish. Success Guaranteed!
Eggplant Rollatini
Ingredients
Eggplants
- 2 eggplants
- 3 cups tomatoes Passata or your favorite tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking
- 3 tbsp dry oregano
- 3 tbsp dry basil
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Rollatini filling
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 yellow onion
- 500 g cottage cheese
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
Preparing the Eggplants
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the eggplants.
- Pour a little bit of oil into a hot skillet.
- Fry each side of the eggplants slices and then set them aside into a plate. Do this step for all the slices.
Filling
- Grate the zucchinis with a cheese grater or food processor.
- Slice the onion and set aside.
- Fry the onions using the same skillet that you used for the eggplants. Fry until slightly transparent.
- Add to the fried onion the zucchinis and cook until the water has evaporated.
- Add the crushed garlic, the salt, and the pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Don't burn the garlic, otherwise, you will get a bitter taste.
- Now that everything is cooked, pour this mixture into a big mixing bowl.
- Add to this bowl the cottage cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese. When well mix set aside.
Assembling
- Pour a little bit of tomato sauce into a baking dish.
- Put on a slice of the eggplant onto the dish.
- Scoop up a little bit of the filling and place it in the middle of the eggplant slice and then fold the eggplant slice. Do these steps for all the eggplant slices.
- When all the Rollatinis are done, pour the rest of the tomato sauce and the spices. (Dry oregano and basil).
- Add the breadcrumbs on top of them.
- Add the rest of the Parmesan cheese on top of the Rollatini.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid. Put in the oven for 30 minutes covered and then cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
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