The eggplant is coming in hot in our garden, which accounts for a perfect time to make this dish. The recipe, besides a few small changes, comes from The Tuscan Sun Cookbook. I fell in love with the book Under the Tuscan Sun and had to buy the cookbook. Under the Tuscan Sun is such a beautiful read, and I started reading it just before we left for Tuscany. It was a pleasure to finish the book on the airplane and arrive where the story evolved. Memories I will forever cherish.
This dish may be one of the best Italian dishes I have ever made. The prosciutto's saltiness alongside earthy eggplant and paired with fresh tomato sauce and cheese cannot get any better. Pair it with a bold Cabernet Sauvignon, and I am right back in Tuscany again.
Yield 4 servings
¼ cup olive oil + 1 Tbsp
2 medium-sized eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 4 thin slices each
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper
3½ cups of roasted tomatoes, or 1 28 oz. can of tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
8 slices prosciutto
8 slices of part-skim mozzarella
Fresh chives
¼ cup parmesan, grated
Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Places the eggplant slices on the parchment paper and brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, Turing the eggplant halfway through. The eggplant should be supple.
While the eggplant is baking, make the sauce. In a food processor whooge the tomatoes. In a medium-size, skillet add 1 Tbsp olive oil and the onions. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and continue sautéing for 1 more minute.
Remove the eggplant from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350℉.
On each piece of eggplant, place a slice of prosciutto and a slice of mozzarella. Roll the eggplant from the small end forward. With the seam at the bottom, secure the bundle by tying a chive around it.
Pour most of the sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and place the involtini in the dish seam side down. Over each bundle, spoon a small amount of the remaining sauce. Warm in the oven until the cheese begins to melt.
Remove the involtini from the oven, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve.
Just Salt It, and enjoy!
