Baked Eggplant Rolls Stuffed With Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants (about 600 grams)
• 200 grams (7 ounce) Greek Kasseri cheese (or Kefalograviera, Kefalotyri, Halloumi)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion (minced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 250 grams (1 cup) canned diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 2/3 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice fresh
• fresh chopped parsley
• 1 batch of homemade garlic croutons (see note 1 below)
• or ground walnuts (for gluten-free version)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make The Tomato Sauce: ---

2. 2

   Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Cook onion and garlic over low heat until caramelized.

3. 3

   Add the diced tomatoes. ½ cup hot water (125 ml), bay leaf, thyme, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens. Take the pot off the heat.

5. 5

   Pulse the sauce using an immersion blender or a blender until smooth.

6. 6

   Stir in the parsley, smoked paprika, and lemon juice. Set aside while preparing the eggplants.

7. 7

   --- Prepare The Eggplant: ---

8. 8

   Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.

9. 9

   Rinse and dry the eggplants. Slice off the top and bottom and then cut into ½ cm (¼ inch) thick long slices.

10. 10

    Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the eggplant slices on it (it won't fit all of them so either use another baking sheet or bake in batches).

11. 11

    Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil. Then season them lightly with salt and pepper.

12. 12

    Bake for 15-20 minutes until they get some color on top. Remove and let cool down enough to handle.

13. 13

    Cut the cheese into small sticks to fit inside the eggplant slices. Cut it into as many pieces as the eggplant slices you have.

14. 14

    Add a piece of cheese to each eggplant slice and roll it up.

15. 15

    Spread the tomato sauce on a baking dish or casserole dish. If the sauce has gotten too thick mix in a splash of water to it.

16. 16

    Lay the eggplant rolls on top of the sauce.

17. 17

    --- Bake The Eggplant Rolls: ---

18. 18

    Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 25 minutes (same temperature).

19. 19

    Uncover the dish and bake for 5-10 minutes more. Until they get nicely colored on top.

20. 20

    Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley, ground croutons, or ground walnuts.