Eggplant Involtini – Italian comfort food

Eggplant Involtini is the epitome of Italian comfort food. These eggplant rolls are great for entertaining as they can be assembled ahead of time and baked just before serving. This is such an advantage as it means that you can spend time with your guests and not miss the fun.  This makes for a relaxed host and consequently relaxed guests.

Jump to:

• Why we love this recipe:
• Ingredients in this recipe:
• Step by Step Instructions:
• Tips for Success and FAQs:
• When it comes to serving:
• More delicious recipes for you to try:
• Eggplant Involtini

Why we love this recipe:

Involtini loosely translates as small bundles of food. That is food which has an outer layer wrapped around a filling.

Veal is frequently used as the outer layer but chicken, fish or vegetables are also popular. Here, I have used slices of shallow fried eggplant to wrap around a flavour-filled, creamy ricotta filling.

These Eggplant Involtini are simple to prepare and it is a dish of pure comfort. After filling the eggplant slices, the small bundles are placed into a basic tomato sauce, topped with grated parmesan cheese and baked to rich, flavoursome, deliciousness.

This is ideal for family meals or entertaining as it can be prepared in advance. In addition, it will suit many people with specific dietary preferences as it is vegetarian and gluten-free.

Ingredients in this recipe:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Eggplant – As they are the star of the Eggplant Involtini, I have some advice on how to select them further down the post.

Rice flour – I use rice flour from an Asian grocery store. Some of the supermarket rice flour is very gritty.

Olive oil – my preference is to use extra virgin olive oil for the extra flavour it provides. In addition, it is at the heart of the much-praised Mediterranean Diet being an excellent source of healthy fat and health-benefiting antioxidants. Use the best olive oil that you have.

Ricotta –  for the best flavour, use full-fat ricotta, available loose from the deli section of the supermarket or in tubs from the refrigerated cheese section. 

Egg – a large, free range egg helps to bind the ingredients together. 

Dried currants – they are the tiny, black, dried fruit of a small, sweet, seedless grape and are not the same as the bush-grown berry which is also called a currant.

Red-wine vinegar – unsurprisingly, red wine vinegar begins its life as red wine which has been allowed to ferment. You could use white wine vinegar if you prefer.

Parmesan – use a good quality parmesan, freshly grated. My preference is Grana Padano, it has great flavour and is less expensive than Parmigiano Reggiano.

Fresh mozzarella – you will find balls of bocconcini at the deli section of the supermarket or sold in tubs. They range in size from small, cherry-sized bocconcini through medium and large sizes.

Garlic – use fresh garlic. It has better flavour than bottled garlic and there are no unnecessary additives.

Tomato passata – this is 100% strained tomato. You may also see it as tomato puree.

Sugar – a small amount of sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes. 

Fresh basil leaves – add traditional Italian flavour to the tomato sauce. 

Pine nuts – have a soft texture and a buttery flavour when raw. They can be lightly toasted in a dry frying pan to add a little crunch.

Do not be daunted by the long list of ingredients. There are several steps in the recipe but none of them is difficult.

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Slice the eggplant lengthways then soak the slices in a salt and water solution for 30 minutes;
2. Remove the eggplant slices from the brine, pat them dry, coat in rice flour and shallow fry until they are tender and creamy.
3. As they cook, place them onto several layers of kitchen towel. This will absorb the excess oil.
4. Whilst the eggplant is soaking I prepare the filling.
5. I make a mixture with ricotta, egg, parmesan, salt, pepper, parsley and dried currants.
6. Make your tomato sauce. In a frying pan, add finely chopped garlic to olive oil. Heat it gently until the garlic is fragrant and pale golden. Add the tomato passata, sugar, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and basil leaves, torn into small pieces. Stir well, bring to a simmer and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the ricotta filling and a slice of fresh mozzarella to the narrow end of the eggplant slices, roll them up and place them in a baking dish with some tomato sauce.
8. After finishing the rolls, top them with more tomato sauce.  After a sprinkle of parmesan, I bake the Involtini until they are meltingly tender.

Tips for Success and FAQs:

How should I choose eggplant? Any tips for cooking eggplant?

Look for fruit with smooth, shiny, unblemished skin. They should feel heavy for their size and feel firm to the touch. This is a sign that the flesh is in good condition. They bruise easily so handle them carefully.

For easier rolling of the Involtini, it is best to find eggplants which do not have a very narrow top and very wide bottom. The globe eggplant is ideal. However, this is not always possible so just add your filling to the narrow end and roll them up.

One of the most important tips is to ensure that the eggplant is not undercooked. To achieve flesh which is creamy, smooth and meltingly tender the eggplant must be thoroughly cooked. This also ensures that it is receptive to the other flavours which are in the dish.

Instead of discarding the first and last slices of the eggplants, do as I do. Fry them and enjoy with a sprinkle of sea salt. These are the cook’s perks. They are delicious!

The eggplant really does behave like a sponge. As mentioned above, to avoid this I make sure that the slices of eggplant are properly hydrated by the brine. And then, it is important that the oil be hot when you add the eggplant to the pan. If the oil is not sufficiently hot, the eggplant will absorb oil.

Also, it is important to put the cooked slices of eggplant onto paper towels to drain. They will release excess oil.

When it comes to serving:

Eggplant Involtini is a dish that I find myself making over and over again. It is wonderfully versatile, being suitable to serve to carnivores or vegetarians alike.

As well, it is gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians. Serve it as a starter, a side dish to poultry or meat or as a meat-free meal accompanied by crusty bread and a salad.  The Involtini are so delicious and satisfying that I doubt even the most enthusiastic meat-eater will complain.

More delicious recipes for you to try:

Here are some more easy dinner ideas:

• Easy Roast Chicken
• Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Shells
• Mediterranean Beef Stew
• Pumpkin and Ricotta Pasta Shells
• Mushroom San Choy Bow
• Creamy Tuna Pasta
• Sous Vide Salmon
• Tuna and Potato Patties
• Greek Style Chicken and Salsa

Please let me know if you make this classic, Italian comfort food, Eggplant Involtini. I look forward to hearing what you think!

Alex xx

This post was originally published in April 2019. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.