Eggplant and Buffalo Mozzarella Rolls

Milky soft white buffalo mozzarella is heavenly added to pasta and salad dishes. At Eataly, the fabulous Italian food and wine emporium in the Flatiron district of  New York, you’ll find it featured in a variety of ways.  Here I’ve teamed it with roasted eggplant, capscium and pesto, a delicious dish which you can serve for lunch or supper.

 

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

Milky soft white buffalo mozzarella is heavenly added to pasta and salad dishes. At Eataly, the fabulous Italian food and wine emporium in the Flatiron district of  New York, you’ll find it featured in a variety of ways.  Here I’ve teamed it with roasted eggplant, capscium and pesto, a delicious dish which you can serve for lunch or supper.

 

Ingredients

  • medium glossy black eggplants 2 -3, washed and dried
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • capsicums 2, one red, one yellow, roasted, skinned and cut into quarters
  • basil pesto 1/2 cup
  • buffalo mozzarella 2, torn into quarters

Basil pesto

  • fresh basil leaves 1 1/2 cups, lightly packed
  • pine nuts 1/2 cup
  • garlic 2 – 3 cloves, peeled and crushed
  • parmesan cheese 3/4 cup, freshly grated
  • extra virgin olive oil 100ml
  • sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Serves 4, as a starter

Preheat oven to 200degC.  Roast the eggplants in the oven for ten minutes.
Leave to cool, then slice lengthways into 1cm thick slices.  Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Char-grill or partly pan-fry until cooked through.  Allow to cool.
Smear the eggplant slices on one side with basil pesto. Place a piece of roasted capsicum along the length of each eggplant slice, top with a piece of buffalo mozzarella, season, and roll up the slices.  Secure each roll with a toothpick.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil just before serving.  Best served at room temperature.

For the Basil Pesto: place all the ingredients except the oil in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth.  Slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube.  Taste and add a little salt if needed.

To Roast Capsicum: cut the capsicums into quarters lengthwise.  Remove membranes and seeds and place under a hot grill or in a hot oven on a baking tray lined with foil.  When the skin has blistered and is turning black, remove with tongs to a plastic bag and leave to steam for about 15 minutes.  Remove from plastic bag and scrape off the blackened skins.