Spaghetti Stuffed Eggplant Rollups {Involtini di Melanzane} Recipe
Experience a delightful Sicilian dish with these Spaghetti Stuffed Eggplant Rollups, combining tender broiled eggplant slices filled with spaghetti, ricotta, and rich tomato sauce for a comforting vegetarian meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 - 10 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Sicilian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Tomato Sauce:
- 5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion, Finely Diced
- 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 3 Cans (14 Ounces) Finely Chopped Tomatoes (I Prefer Mutti Brand)
- 1/4 cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Hot Chili Flakes (Optional)
For The Rollups:
- 4 to 5 Large Eggplants, Unpeeled, Cut Into 1/2-inch Slices
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 10 ounces Fine Spaghetti or Capellini
- 8 cups Tomato Sauce (Recipe Below)
- 3/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 3/4 cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until lightly sizzling. Add the onion, and stirring often, cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, just another minute or two. Next, add the tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and chili flakes if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until thickened.
- Broil Eggplant: While the sauce is cooking, preheat the broiler to high heat. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil. Place eggplant slices side by side on the prepared sheet, then lightly brush with oil. Broil the slices until lightly browned, then turn over and brown the other side. Remove the browned slices to a plate and continue to brown the rest of the eggplant.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta until very “al dente” in a pot of lightly salted water. (The pasta will continue to cook in the oven.) Drain the pasta, then place in a bowl along with 6 cups of the prepared tomato sauce, and half the Pecorino cheese.
- Assemble Rollups: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking pan with about 1 cup of the sauce. On a cutting board, lay out eggplant slices. Spoon in a teaspoon or so of the ricotta cheese in the center, then place a small handful of pasta on top. Fold over the eggplant to encase the filling and place it in the prepared pan. Continue to finish all the eggplant slices in the same manner.
- Bake: Spoon the remaining sauce on the eggplant rollups, and then sprinkle the remaining Pecorino cheese on top. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The pasta is cooked al dente as it will continue cooking in the oven.