Eggplant involtini — tender slices of eggplant rolled into ricotta-stuffed parcels baked with homemade tomato sauce — never tastes better than this time of year, when the eggplant and tomatoes begin arriving in full force. Until last week, however, the dish, which requires salting and frying the eggplant, felt SO fussy, the thought of standing at the stovetop always deterring me from making it.
But last Friday after roasting eggplant slices for a sandwich , I felt inspired to use the same technique for the involtini, which, as several commenters had noted already, works like a charm. By simply brushing the eggplant slices with oil, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and roasting them, 20 minutes of standing at the stovetop was saved. The process proved so painless, I made the involtini again on Sunday — eggplant involtini twice in three days is a first, a feat never realized in the past five years.
Two caveats: homemade sauce , fresh ricotta . With these two components of the dish prepared (or purchased) ahead of time, eggplant involtini demands little effort. For the first time in a long time I made the ricotta from scratch, which reminded me how easy and delicious it is: line a sieve with cheesecloth, boil milk and cream, add salt and vinegar, strain . It takes about 25 minutes total.
Final discovery: The adorable eggplant bundles can be assembled ahead of time, nestled in their tomato sauce-slicked dish, and stashed in the fridge until needed: in 25 minutes, the pan emerges from the oven, tomato sauce thick and bubbly, ricotta rolls bronzed and oozing. It’s a beautiful thing. Do it.
Components: roasted eggplant, tomato sauce, ricotta seasoned with lemon zest, salt, and breadcrumbs:
Description
Original, fussier recipe can be found here .
Updates to the original recipe include skipping the salting and, in place of frying, roasting the eggplant for 10 minutes on one side, 8 to 10 minutes on the other, brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. I’ve also simplified the filling by omitting the thyme and lemon juice—I just use lemon zest, salt, and bread crumbs, and often I skip the bread crumbs!
The recipe is easily doubled: Use two sheet pans to roast the eggplant, rotating as necessary to ensure even cooking. Double the filling. Use a 9 x 13-inch baking vessel or two 9-inch vessels. Definitely double the recipe if making for more than 2 people … I can nearly eat a single recipe on my own.
- 2 medium eggplants
- kosher salt and pepper
- olive oil for brushing
- homemade tomato sauce (such as this one or this one )
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half an d half, for brushing, optional — I use olive oil now
- freshly Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
for the filling:
- 1/2 cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs, optional (see notes)
- 1 cup whole milk, fresh ricotta or homemade
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp . kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper, a Silpat, or rub lightly with olive oil.Trim the stem end of each eggplant. Stand the eggplant vertically, and make 1/4-inch thick cuts down to create long slices. Arrange on sheetpan. Pour about 3 tablespoons of oil into a small dish for convenience. Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Flip. Brush other side with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes more or until beginning to turn golden. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs (if using), ricotta, lemon zest, and salt. Taste. Adjust with a pinch more salt if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Ladle tomato sauce (about 3/4 cup) into a 9-inch round baking dish or similar-sized vessel till bottom of dish is covered in a thin layer. Place a spoonful (about 2 teaspoons) of filling at one end of each of the eggplant slices. Roll the slice around the filling and place it seam-side down in the dish on top of the tomato sauce. Drizzle or brush the cream over the rolls to moisten. Alternatively, brush the tops with olive oil. Bake until the edges of sauce around the sides of the dish are dark and the rolls are nicely caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Shave parmesan over the top before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian, American
Eggplant involtini — tender slices of eggplant rolled into ricotta-stuffed parcels baked with homemade tomato sauce — never tastes better than this time of year, when the eggplant and tomatoes begin arriving in full force. Until last week, however, the dish, which requires salting and frying the eggplant, felt SO fussy, the thought of standing at the stovetop always deterring me from making it.
But last Friday after roasting eggplant slices for a sandwich , I felt inspired to use the same technique for the involtini, which, as several commenters had noted already, works like a charm. By simply brushing the eggplant slices with oil, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and roasting them, 20 minutes of standing at the stovetop was saved. The process proved so painless, I made the involtini again on Sunday — eggplant involtini twice in three days is a first, a feat never realized in the past five years.
Two caveats: homemade sauce , fresh ricotta . With these two components of the dish prepared (or purchased) ahead of time, eggplant involtini demands little effort. For the first time in a long time I made the ricotta from scratch, which reminded me how easy and delicious it is: line a sieve with cheesecloth, boil milk and cream, add salt and vinegar, strain . It takes about 25 minutes total.
Final discovery: The adorable eggplant bundles can be assembled ahead of time, nestled in their tomato sauce-slicked dish, and stashed in the fridge until needed: in 25 minutes, the pan emerges from the oven, tomato sauce thick and bubbly, ricotta rolls bronzed and oozing. It’s a beautiful thing. Do it.
Components: roasted eggplant, tomato sauce, ricotta seasoned with lemon zest, salt, and breadcrumbs:
Description
Original, fussier recipe can be found here .
Updates to the original recipe include skipping the salting and, in place of frying, roasting the eggplant for 10 minutes on one side, 8 to 10 minutes on the other, brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. I’ve also simplified the filling by omitting the thyme and lemon juice—I just use lemon zest, salt, and bread crumbs, and often I skip the bread crumbs!
The recipe is easily doubled: Use two sheet pans to roast the eggplant, rotating as necessary to ensure even cooking. Double the filling. Use a 9 x 13-inch baking vessel or two 9-inch vessels. Definitely double the recipe if making for more than 2 people … I can nearly eat a single recipe on my own.
- 2 medium eggplants
- kosher salt and pepper
- olive oil for brushing
- homemade tomato sauce (such as this one or this one )
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half an d half, for brushing, optional — I use olive oil now
- freshly Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
for the filling:
- 1/2 cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs, optional (see notes)
- 1 cup whole milk, fresh ricotta or homemade
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp . kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper, a Silpat, or rub lightly with olive oil.Trim the stem end of each eggplant. Stand the eggplant vertically, and make 1/4-inch thick cuts down to create long slices. Arrange on sheetpan. Pour about 3 tablespoons of oil into a small dish for convenience. Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Flip. Brush other side with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes more or until beginning to turn golden. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs (if using), ricotta, lemon zest, and salt. Taste. Adjust with a pinch more salt if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Ladle tomato sauce (about 3/4 cup) into a 9-inch round baking dish or similar-sized vessel till bottom of dish is covered in a thin layer. Place a spoonful (about 2 teaspoons) of filling at one end of each of the eggplant slices. Roll the slice around the filling and place it seam-side down in the dish on top of the tomato sauce. Drizzle or brush the cream over the rolls to moisten. Alternatively, brush the tops with olive oil. Bake until the edges of sauce around the sides of the dish are dark and the rolls are nicely caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Shave parmesan over the top before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Description
Original, fussier recipe can be found here .
Updates to the original recipe include skipping the salting and, in place of frying, roasting the eggplant for 10 minutes on one side, 8 to 10 minutes on the other, brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. I’ve also simplified the filling by omitting the thyme and lemon juice—I just use lemon zest, salt, and bread crumbs, and often I skip the bread crumbs!
The recipe is easily doubled: Use two sheet pans to roast the eggplant, rotating as necessary to ensure even cooking. Double the filling. Use a 9 x 13-inch baking vessel or two 9-inch vessels. Definitely double the recipe if making for more than 2 people … I can nearly eat a single recipe on my own.
- 2 medium eggplants
- kosher salt and pepper
- olive oil for brushing
- homemade tomato sauce (such as this one or this one )
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half an d half, for brushing, optional — I use olive oil now
- freshly Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
for the filling:
- 1/2 cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs, optional (see notes)
- 1 cup whole milk, fresh ricotta or homemade
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp . kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper, a Silpat, or rub lightly with olive oil.Trim the stem end of each eggplant. Stand the eggplant vertically, and make 1/4-inch thick cuts down to create long slices. Arrange on sheetpan. Pour about 3 tablespoons of oil into a small dish for convenience. Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Flip. Brush other side with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes more or until beginning to turn golden. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs (if using), ricotta, lemon zest, and salt. Taste. Adjust with a pinch more salt if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Ladle tomato sauce (about 3/4 cup) into a 9-inch round baking dish or similar-sized vessel till bottom of dish is covered in a thin layer. Place a spoonful (about 2 teaspoons) of filling at one end of each of the eggplant slices. Roll the slice around the filling and place it seam-side down in the dish on top of the tomato sauce. Drizzle or brush the cream over the rolls to moisten. Alternatively, brush the tops with olive oil. Bake until the edges of sauce around the sides of the dish are dark and the rolls are nicely caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Shave parmesan over the top before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2016/08/16/eggplant-involtini-simplified/
This 4-ingredient dough takes five minutes to mix together, and from there, time does the work. After an overnight rise, the dough is ready to be portioned, balled up, and after another short rest, the rolls are ready to be baked. Crusty with a light and airy crumb, these rolls are perfect for sandwiches!
Do you have access to a great bakery? Where you can buy freshly baked baguettes and light and airy ciabatta rolls? You do? I’m jealous.
When I crave a crusty roll to house sandwich fillings, I make my own. In short, I use the peasant bread recipe — but I give it the Lahey treatment : I cut the yeast way back, use cold water, and extend the rise to overnight (or about 12 hours).
Here’s a thought: set aside 5 minutes to mix this dough together this evening. Tomorrow, when you are rewarded with a delicious vessel to sandwich anything your heart desires, or perhaps balsamic-roasted eggplant and arugula , you will thank yourself. Effortless and delicious. You’re welcome.
How to Make No-Knead Overnight Sandwich Rolls, Step by Step
Whisk together flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add cold water.
Mix until you have a sticky dough ball. Cover the bowl, and…
… let it rise at room temperature for roughly 12 hours or until it looks like this:
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and portion it out:
Shape the portions into rough balls and transfer to a baking sheet:
Bake for 20 minutes:
Once cool, the rolls can be halved and filled as you please.
I love these rolls for these balsamic-roasted eggplant and arugula sandwiches .
Description
This 4-ingredient dough takes five minutes to mix together, and from there, time does the work. After an overnight rise, the dough is ready to be portioned, balled up, and after another short rest, the rolls are ready to be baked. Crusty with a light and airy crumb, these rolls are perfect for sandwiches!
Notes:
This dough is super wet, so go big on the flour when shaping—seriously, don’t hold back.
I have been making these for these balsamic-roasted eggplant and arugula sandwiches .
4 cups ( 512 g ) unbleached bread or all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup ( 32 g ) for shaping
2 teaspoons ( 10 g ) kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ( 1 g ) instant yeast
2 cups ( 439 g ) cold water (tap is fine)
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Cover the bowl, and let rest for 30 minutes, then stretch and fold the dough — this is an optional new step (1/14/2026), but if time permits, do it: I find it makes for an especially bubby dough. Fill a small bowl with water. Using a wet hand, grab an edge of the dough and pull it up and towards the center. Repeat this stretching and folding process 8 to 10 times, moving your hand around the edge of the dough with every set of stretches and folds. As you stretch and fold, you should feel the dough transform from being sticky and shaggy to smooth and cohesive. Find video guidance here .
- Let it rise: Cover bowl with a tea towel or bowl cover and leave to rise at room temperature overnight or for up to 12 hours.
- Prepare for baking: The following morning (or after about 12 hours), the dough will have risen, and its surface will be covered with bubbles. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Shape the rolls: Spread the 1/4 cup flour over a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface. Using as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the board and your knife or dough scraper, divide the dough into 6 roughly equal portions. Again, using as much flour as necessary on your hands and work surface, shape each portion into a ball. Use two hands to stretch each ball gently into a rectangle—doesn’t have to be perfect—and transfer to the prepared sheetpan, spacing evenly. Let the shaped rolls rest for 20 minutes. (Alternatively, store the shaped rolls in a floured, lidded vessel for as long as 2-3 hours; then proceed with the recipe.)
- Bake the rolls: Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 15 minutes. Rotate pan. Bake 5 minutes more or until nicely golden. Transfer rolls to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Yeast
- Cuisine: American
