Eggplant Rollatini With Tomato-chianti Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 large eggplant
• coarse sea salt
• 6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chianti wine
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Recipe

• 1 trim and peel eggplant.
• 2 cut lengthwise into slices about 1/2 inch thick.
• 3 transfer to a colander and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.
• 4 let stand 30 minutes.
• 5 i start on the sauce while the eggplant is standing.
• 6 heat a grill or grill pan until very hot.
• 7 wipe salt and exuded liquid off eggplant and rub on both sides with about 4 t of the olive oil.
• 8 grill until completely tender, turning once.
• 9 set aside.
• 10 heat remaining 2 t oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.
• 11 add half the garlic and all the onion and sprinkle with oregano and salt.
• 12 cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.
• 13 add tomatoes, bay leaf, and hot pepper flakes.
• 14 simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
• 15 stir in chianti and remove from heat.
• 16 heat oven to 350 degrees.
• 17 spoon 1/3 of sauce into a 9 inch oval baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• 18 combine ricotta,mozzarella,egg,remainingð{! garlic, and basil in bowl and mix well.
• 19 mound a couple of tablespoons on one end of each eggplant slice and roll up.
• 20 lay seam side down into center of prepared pan, arranging rollatini close together.
• 21 spoon remaining sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle parmigiano over that.
• 22 bake 35 to 40 minutes, until eggplant is very soft and sauce is bubbly.
• 23 serve with additional parmigiano if desired.