A few of my friends recently started a food challenge, where an ingredient is chosen and we use that ingredient in a meal, then share our recipes. As you can imagine, this is right up my ally as I'm already focusing on growing my database of recipes to share with you.
Our first ingredient is eggplant and as I opened my pantry for inspiration, YIAH did not disappoint. I created a fresh, rustic tomato sauce to go with this recipe. Of course you could pop open a jar of your favorite tomato sauce instead - but I highly suggest giving this a shot. It's fresh, flavorful, and clean - with no added preservatives you often find in canned and jarred sauces.
I served this over pasta because I knew for sure my kids would eat that part of the meal, but weather they would eat the eggplant rolls were iffy. I was surprised that both tried it and one finished an entire roll herself!
This recipe is hearty enough to stand on it's own, so don't feel you must serve with pasta.
So, I present to you....
Eggplant Manicotti
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Serves: A family of four with two kids, with leftovers
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Italian Primavera Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Country Onion & Chive Dip Mix
- 1 tsp Olde World Herb & Garlic Dip Mix
- 2 tsp Tuscan Style Capsicum Pesto Dip Mix
- 1/2 cup Red Wine
- 1 c broth (I used a chicken broth bouillon cube, but you use any broth, tomato juice, or flavorful liquid here)
- 2 cans whole tomatoes with juice or about 28 oz of fresh tomatoes
- 2 tsp of sugar if needed (taste your tomatoes, if they are on the acidic side, add a bit of sugar. Start with about a tsp and go up from there until you're happy with the flavor)
- Smoked Orange, Garlic & Chili Grinder Salt, to taste
Manicotti
- 16 oz Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Parmesan or Italian Cheese Blend, divided
- 1 Large egg
- 1 Tbsp Tuscan Style Capsicum Pesto Dip Mix
- About 3 twists of Smoked Orange, Garlic & Chili Grinder Salt
- 2 medium egg plant, unpeeled and cut lengthwise into about 8 slices
- 2 Tbsp Italian Primavera Olive Oil
- About 8 twists of Smoked Orange, Garlic & Chili Grinder Salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Slice egg plant lengthwise, laying them out on sheet pans that has been
lightly sprayed with pan spray. Brush both sides of the egg plant
slices with Italian Primavera Olive Oil, and season with Smoked Orange,
Garlic & Chili Grinder Salt. Bake until tender, about 10 min. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
Heat a large sauce pan over low-med heat and add 3 Tbsp Italian Primavera Olive Oil and all three dip mixes. Heat gently until fragrant - about 5 min.
Turn up the heat to medium and add the red wine. Heat until nearly dry (we call this au sec in the biz) - about 3-5 min depending on alcohol content of wine.
Add broth and tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes start to break down - about 15 min.
Meanwhile, mix ricotta cheese, shredded cheese and Tuscan Style Capsicum Pesto Dip Mix. Season with Smoked Orange, Garlic & Chili Grinder Salt to taste. Finally add one beaten egg to hold the stuffing together.
Next, blend the sauce to a rustic (meaning this doesn't have to be completely smooth) consistency using a potato masher, fork, or stick blender.
Add about 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 baking dish
Once cool enough to handle, place an egg plant slice on your work surface, adding about 2 Tbsp of cheese mixture at one end, and gently roll. Place seam side down onto of the sauce in your baking pan. Repeat with all slices.
Pour remaining sauce over eggplant rolls and top with remaining cheese
Bake at 350 degrees until heated through, about 20 min
Bon Appetite!
