Grilled Eggplant Rollatini with Lemony Herbed Ricotta

You know when even your stretchy pants don’t offer enough give?

It’s time to lighten things up without sacrificing the joy that comfort food brings, and that’s where this rollatini comes in.

Break out the wine and as many chunks of Parmesan as you can find. Italia, here we come.

In this stuffed-and-rolled recipe, gently charred eggplant slices are smeared with an airy mixture of fresh ricotta, Parmesan, herbs, and citrus, and twirled to perfection.

With the warm embrace of marinara and creamy, fresh mozzarella on top, melted until golden and bubbling, these earthy bites are sure to start a party in your mouth.

Time to come clean:

When it comes to rollatini, I’m a bit biased on the subject.

In my hometown, my family’s favorite local Italian bistro makes a version of this dish that is so divine, it’s the only thing we order. And it’s an appetizer portion, so we have to get, like, eight.

Sorry, not sorry?

I can’t help but at least attempt to mimic that magic in my own take on rollatini. Stuffed with whipped, fluffy ricotta and floating in a stream of slightly sweet, light-as-air marinara, I’m not afraid to say that each savory bite deserves a drumroll.

I highlight the creamy ricotta with salty Parmesan, floral herbs, and bright lemon zest. You’d be hard pressed to find a more delicate marriage of cheeses.

I’m a big believer in seasoning to taste, so I add the eggs last, after I’ve had time to test a quick sample for salt and pepper.

When it comes to red-sauce-covered comfort food, I like to find loopholes to reduce its tendency to weigh me down (like grilling instead of frying, and swapping in veggies for fatty proteins).

The earthy eggplant takes on some of the smoke from the grill and ends up with a tender, almost meaty texture.

The process of spreading each slice with the cheese mixture, thoughtfully rolling it into a cylinder, and arranging it in a baking dish may seem like a lot of effort. But that’s what a side glass of wine is for.

The other perk of this dish is its glorious make-ahead-ness. I just made up that word. NBD.

You can prepare every step up until baking, and then refrigerate your rollatini for up to a day, until it’s ready for its big debut.

When your dinner party guests arrive, your hair (and the dishes) are already done. Genius!

A quick rundown on some herb-related things:

Fresh is always best in my opinion, unless we’re talking oregano. The dried version offers a mild fragrance, while the fresh is too perfume-y for me.

As far as basil goes, I find that you can’t replicate the slightly sweet, aromatic qualities of the fresh leaves with a dried version.

Wanna know the secret to keeping your basil twice as long? Place the stems in a cup of fresh water and cover with a plastic produce bag to create a greenhouse effect.

Mind blown. Herb tutorial, over.

Though, while we’re getting fresh with each other…  let’s touch on mozzarella.

The fresh variety has become so readily available that there’s no excuse for not using it in this recipe.

Here’s a tip: Pop it in the freezer for ten minutes before slicing or grating so it’s not too soft.

Also, buy extra so you can snack on it while you roll up your eggplant. You deserve it.

If you really just can’t get down with a meatless marinara-smothered meal, wrap a thin slice of prosciutto around each roll. Oh yes, I went there.

Store-bought marinara is the easiest shortcut to make a quicker version of this dish, but homemade is a snap. Start with quality canned tomatoes and the usual sauce suspects (onions, garlic, herbs) and you’ll be ready to mangia before the wine has a chance to breathe.

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Wash all of the produce well, and measure out all of your ingredients so they will be ready to go when you need them.

Zest the lemon, chop the herbs, grind the pepper, grate and slice the cheese, and beat the egg.

When it comes to herbs, I always opt for fresh – unless we’re talking about oregano. I find the fresh leaves to be a bit too pungent and floral, so I always keep some of the dried variety on hand for the familiar touch of Italian flair that it adds to dishes.

As for the parsley and basil, fresh is best.

Trim the ends off of the eggplant, and stand them up tall on the cutting board so you can easily slice them lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle them generously with salt and set them aside for at least 30 minutes.

To speed up the process, cover the eggplant slices with paper towels and place heavy-bottomed pans (like cast iron skillets) on top to really press out the moisture.

This helps to remove excess moisture, and any bitterness. It also serves to season the vegetables, so be careful not to add too much additional salt later in the recipe.

Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high.

Step 2 – Make the Ricotta Mixture

Mix together the appropriate amounts of ricotta, salt, Parmesan, basil, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and black pepper as indicated on the recipe card above. Note that you will not be using the entire quantity of many of these ingredients in this step. Don’t just dump them all in!

Gently fold the ingredients together using a large rubber or silicone spatula, until thoroughly combined.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Fold in the beaten egg until thoroughly combined, and yellow streaks no longer remain.

Step 3 – Grill

Using a clean dish towel or paper towels, pat the eggplant slices dry to remove the excess moisture. Drizzle the slices with olive oil and season them with freshly ground black pepper.

Grill each slice until lightly charred on each side. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Step 4 – Stuff and Roll

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Drizzle the bottom of a large glass baking dish with olive oil, and spoon in some of the marinara.

Lay out as many eggplant slices as you can without overlapping on a cutting board or clean work surface. Spread each slice with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture, roll into a cylinder, and place into the baking dish seam side down.

Top the rolls with the remaining marinara, then top with the mozzarella slices and remaining Parmesan and oregano. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.