Rolled Eggplant Involtini Pasta

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180C/356F.

Step 2

Prepare a tray with baking paper.

Step 3

Heat up your grill or hot plate over medium-high heat and add the eggplant slices.

Step 4

Sprinkle salt on the eggplant while it cooks OR salt the raw eggplant 20 minutes before cooking your dish and let the liquid form and fall from each strip. You can then pat them dry and they are ready to grill.

Step 5

Cook the eggplant until there are defined grill marks on both sides and the eggplant has softened.

Step 6

Once the eggplant is done set them aside on a plate.

Step 7

Place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl and squish with a potato masher until smooth. You can also use your hands to breakdown any big pieces.

Step 8

Put a large pot of water on your stove and bring it to a boil.

Step 9

To make the sauce, place 4 tbsp EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat and crush two cloves of garlic then add them in.

Step 10

Only cook the garlic for 30 seconds or less and after around 25 seconds, add the peeled tomatoes into the skillet, and stir to combine before adding some salt and pepper.

Step 11

Gently cook the sauce mixture on medium heat, stirring occasionally and in the meantime add 1 tbsp rock salt to the pot of boiling water.

Step 12

Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Make sure it is al dente since it will also cook in the oven.

Step 13

When there are only a few minutes left for your pasta to be done, tear up the basil leaves and add them to your tomato sauce.

Step 14

When the pasta is finished, take a mug and fill it with pasta water, then strain your pasta, add it to the sauce and quickly mix to combine.

Step 15

Add in a little splash of pasta water from the reserved mug then toss your pasta in the sauce to combine and remove from the heat.

Step 16

Place one eggplant slice onto a plate and carefully place a small bundle of spaghetti in the middle then tear little pieces of bocconcini cheese and add them on top.

Step 17

Carefully roll up the eggplant, starting from the smaller side. Make sure that your roll is tight and no filling spills out. The spaghetti should be slightly sticking out either end of the eggplant once rolled.

Step 18

Next, place the eggplant roll in the parchment paper-lined baking tray, seam-side down so that it stays rolled.

Step 19

Take a spoonful of tomato sauce and add it to the rolled eggplant, gently spreading it over the top.

Step 20

Sprinkle some pecorino romano cheese on top of the eggplant - you can even add some extra pieces of bocconcini on top and these will then melt in the oven.

Step 21

Repeat steps 20-25 for the remaining eggplant slices until all are used then place the finished eggplant rolls in the oven for 10 minutes.

Step 22

Take the eggplant rolls out of the oven. Time to enjoy!