Eggplant Rolls with Ricotta, Walnuts and Mint

Name: Eggplant Rolls with Ricotta, Walnuts and Mint
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 date or 1 prune, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 large globe eggplant, sliced lengthwise about 1/4-inch thick; 1 lemon, juiced; 4 servings Kosher salt; 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint leaves, plus more whole leaves for garnish; 4 servings Extra-virgin olive oil; 237 milliliters part-skim ricotta; 2 Tbsps raw walnut halves and pieces

Eggplant Rolls with Ricotta, Walnuts and Mint is a gluten free, primal, and vegetarian recipe with 4 servings. One portion of this dish contains about 9g of protein, 22g of fat, and a total of 278 calories. This recipe covers 9% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Head to the store and pick up date, part-skim ricotta, walnut halves and pieces, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Instructions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Wire Rack

Lay the eggplant slices on the rack, generously salting each slice (about 1/4 teaspoon per slice).

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Place another baking sheet on top of the eggplant and weigh it down with a few cans.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Let them sit 30 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices, sprinkle with more salt, weigh down again and let them sit for another 30 minutes. (This draws out the bitter juices.) Meanwhile, toast the walnuts.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Walnuts

Toast

Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Spread the walnuts on a small baking sheet and pop into the oven until the walnuts give off their nutty aroma and deepen in color, about 5 minutes. When they are cool enough to touch, chop them finely.

Ingredients you will need

Walnuts

Pop

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Oven

Make the ricotta filling: Push the ricotta through a sieve into a medium bowl. This gives the cheese a light, airy texture.

Ingredients you will need

Ricotta Cheese

Cheese

Equipment you will use

Sieve

Bowl

Add the toasted walnuts, garlic, mint, date, half the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a swirl of olive oil. Stir together, taste for seasoning and then set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Seasoning

Walnuts

Garlic

Dates

Mint

Salt

Rinse the eggplant slices well and pat them dry. Warm a grill pan over moderately-high heat.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Grill Pan

Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil on one side; place the oiled-side down on the hot griddle and brush the other side. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

To assemble the rolls, place a couple of tablespoons of filling at one of end of a slice of eggplant.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Roll

Roll and place on a plate seam-side down. Top the eggplant rolls with the remaining lemon juice, a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil and the reserved mint leaves, torn over the dish.

Ingredients you will need

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Mint

Eggplant

Roll

Serve hot or at warm temperature.