Eggplant Rollatini Recipe (With Video)

An old-school Italian-American comfort food, eggplant rollatini is made of slices of eggplant wrapped around a cheesy filling with prosciutto; the rolls are smothered in tomato sauce and baked. In Italy, this elegant dish is called involtini di melanzane.

Some recipes call for breading and frying the eggplant. We keep it simple and more traditional, frying but not breading the eggplant so it is tender—and easy to roll around the filling. As for that filling? It's quick to mix using just three cheeses (ricotta, grated mozzarella, and parmesan), egg white to bind, and a slice of prosciutto per roll. (Skip the meat to make it vegetarian.)

Smother the eggplant rolls in tomato sauce, top with more mozzarella and parmesan, and it's ready to go in the oven. All you need to complete the meal is some crusty Italian bread.

Eggplant Rollatini vs. Eggplant Parmesan

You could say eggplant rollatini and eggplant parmesan are cousins. Both are Italian dishes made with cooked eggplant slices, tomato sauce, and several cheeses and baked in the oven.

Where they differ is how they are put together. Eggplant parmesan is assembled in layers (similar to a lasagna, but with the eggplant slices replacing the pasta). For rollatini, the cooked eggplant slices are rolled around a cheese filling. Since the filling often has prosciutto, rollatini is not vegetarian, while eggplant parmesan generally is.

Baking (Not Frying) the Eggplant

If you prefer, the eggplant slices for this eggplant rollatini recipe can be roasted in the oven rather than fried on the stovetop—so the entire dish is cooked in the oven.

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Brush slices with olive oil and place on baking sheets. Make sure slices are not crowded and do not overlap.
Roast for 20 minutes, flipping eggplant halfway through cooking.

If you bake the eggplant slices before assembling the dish, increase the baking time for the eggplant rollatini to 30 minutes.

Directions

Preheat oven; fry eggplant slices:

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, fry eggplant slices in olive oil until eggplant is flexible for rolling, about 3 minutes per side.
Make filling:

While eggplant is frying/baking, make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of fresh ricotta, 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of fresh shredded mozzarella, 1 egg white, salt and pepper, and mix well.
Fill and roll eggplant:

Drain eggplant on paper towel if fried. When eggplant has cooled about 10 minutes, begin the rolling process. On each slice, put about 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese mixture. Spread it on the eggplant. Next, place a slice of ham/prosciutto on top of the cheese, if using, and then roll. Repeat with all eggplant slices.
Assemble dish:

Coat the bottom of a deep baking dish with tomato sauce. Start placing the rolled eggplants at the bottom of the pan. When pan is filled, put some sauce on the top of the eggplant. Sprinkle some more grated cheese on top. Finally, cut slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and place on top of each rollatini.
Bake:

Bake for about 20 minutes. The cheese should be melted and a little bubbling. Serve.

Storing Eggplant Rollatini

Store leftover eggplant rollatini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat thoroughly in the oven or microwave individual portions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Italian eggplant and regular eggplant?

The "regular" eggplant we most often see at the grocery store is globe eggplant. It's a large fruit with deep purple skin and a fat but elongated teardrop shape. The flesh of a globe eggplant is meaty and dense, and it contains seeds. Italian eggplant has a similar color and shape to globe eggplant but is slightly smaller and has a sweeter flavor.

Can you peel and slice eggplant ahead of time?

No! We recommend slicing the eggplant right before using it so that it doesn't turn brown. When the flesh of an eggplant is exposed to air, it will oxidize. Only cut or peel eggplant when you are ready to use it.

How do you cut eggplant thin for rollatini?

Use a sharp chef's knife to cut eggplant lengthwise into thin, even slices for eggplant rollatini. First, slice off the stem and blossom ends of the eggplant. Then, cut the eggplant lengthwise into slices. For our eggplant rollatini, you'll need slices that are about a quarter inch thick. You can also use a mandoline to slice eggplant.