Chef notes
This is a terrific Sunday-night, dished-out-from-the-center-of-the-dinner-table, friends-who-are-family kind of meal. Eggplant rollatini is vegetarian but doesn't feel that way. I always utilize eggplant for my non-meat-eating friends; it's so hearty and savory, and it works so well in this case. You'll have to leave off the breadcrumb topping if you're cooking for strict vegetarians, but if not, you have to go for it. Anchovies have become a theme in my cooking — their salty, savory touch does all the right things. In this case, they meet up with their crunchy friend — panko breadcrumbs — to create a punch of salty, delicious texture.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon, finely zested
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into twelve ½-inch-thick slices
- 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (28-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes, undrained
- 1-2 tablespoons Calabrian chile paste, to taste
- 12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces, plus more (optional) for serving
- 16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small dice
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
- 4 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated
- Anchovy Breadcrumbs (recipe above), for serving
Preparation
For the anchovy breadcrumbs:
1.Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the anchovies and cook until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2.Add the panko and spread into an even layer. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the crumbs, press them into an even layer again, and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Add the lemon zest and season with pepper and more salt, if desired.
3.Spread on a large plate or sheet pan and let cool. Store, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a dry skillet over low heat before using.
For the eggplant rollatini:
1.Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2.Arrange the eggplant in an even layer on two sheet pans. Brush both sides with 6 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly golden brown and very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. (The eggplant can be cooked up to 1 day in advance, cooled, and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.) Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F.
3.Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1minute longer. Add the tomatoes with their juices and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the chile paste and basil and cook the sauce until it thickens, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4.Make the filling: Mix together the ricotta, egg, diced mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the pecorino in a medium bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the parsley and oregano.
5.Ladle 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling over each eggplant slice. Carefully roll up and place them, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Once all the eggplant rolls are in the dish, ladle another cup of the sauce evenly over them and sprinkle the grated mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup pecorino over the top.
6.Bake until the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese has melted and turned lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
To serve:
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the eggplant and garnish with torn basil, if desired.
Reprinted with permission from Beat Bobby Flay. Copyright © 2021 by Boy Meets Grill, Inc. Photographs copyright © 2021 by Ed Anderson. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
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