Eggplant Ricotta Rolls with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• olive oil (for brushing)
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 handful basil
• 400 g ricotta
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes (400 ml each)
• 40 g pine nuts

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash, trim and slice the eggplants lengthwise into thin strips using an electric slicer or mandoline. Brush the slices with olive oil and grill them in a skillet on both sides until they develop grill marks. Season with salt and pepper and arrange 12 wide slices side by side on a work surface; reserve remaining slices for pickled grilled vegetables.

2. 2.

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (fan). Wash, dry, and strip the basil leaves into thin ribbons, setting aside a few for garnish. Drain the ricotta in a sieve and mix with the egg yolks and basil strips. Season with salt and pepper. Spread about three‑quarters of the ricotta mixture onto each eggplant slice and roll them up. Place the rolls side by side in a baking dish, pour the chopped tomatoes over them, season again, and spoon the remaining ricotta on top. Bake for about 30 minutes.

3. 3.

   While the rolls bake, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the finished rolls and garnish with the reserved basil leaves.