Eggplant parmigiana involtini

Julia Busuttil Nishimura's recipe for eggplant parmigiana involtini is both simple and delicious.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 eggplant (300gm each)
• Neutral-flavoured oil, for shallow-frying
• 20 basil leaves
• 2 buffalo mozzarella balls (125gm each), cut into 20 pieces
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Finely grated parmesan, basil and crusty bread, to serve
• Tomato sugo
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife
• 1 large basil sprig
• 400 gm can tomato polpa

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 11: Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. For tomato sugo, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and basil, then cook, stirring, until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add polpa and 100ml water, season, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened (10 minutes). Remove from heat (discard basil); pour into a 25cm x 20cm rectangular baking dish.
2. 22: Using a mandolin or sharp knife, carefully cut eggplant lengthways into 2mm-thick slices (20 slices).
3. 33: Heat 5mm oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Shallow-fry eggplant, in batches, turning until tender and light golden on edges (2-3 minutes). Drain on paper towel.
4. 44: Preheat oven to 190°C fan-forced. Lay eggplant slices out on a clean work surface. Place a basil leaf and piece of buffalo mozzarella at one end of each slice, then roll into eggplant involtini. Arrange in baking dish on top of tomato sugo, seam-side down, drizzle with olive oil and bake until eggplant is tender (20-25 minutes). Adjust oven to fan grill, then grill until golden and bubbling (8-10 minutes). Scatter with parmesan and basil. Serve eggplant parmigiana involtini with crusty bread on the side.