Nourish the Budding Lotus

Involtini di Melanzane (Eggplant Rolls)

Having a garden this summer has been really exciting!  I am so grateful to my neighbors for sharing a little space in their sun-kissed yard with me.  It has been fun to pretend that I know what I am doing, and just start planting, watering and harvesting.  Every so often I get a tip from someone, or realize that I am doing something completely wrong, but for the most part I planted things and they are growing!  What more do you want?  It is a very rewarding practice and I am glad that I have finally had the opportunity to try it.  I definitely hope that I will get the chance for even more next time the gardening season rolls around.

For now, I have some lovely tatsoi, some (swiss cheese) bok choy, some beautiful collard greens, cucumbers which were a big surprise because I was told they would be zucchini, and eggplant!  As you can see from the above photo, my eggplant are looking pretty cute.  I have lots of butterflies and bees buzzing around the eggplant flowers, and the new eggplants are shining beautifully.  In honor of my little eggplants (and in anticipation of them growing to plumpness) I share this lovely recipe for Involtini di Melanzane which I have been enjoying for the past few years.  This recipe also comes from Cucina Natuale and is really quite simple, and is great as an appetizer.

[print_this]

Involtini di Melanzane

2 medium eggplant
3 oz grated pecorino romano
20 medium mint leaves (fresh)
5 basil leaves
tooth picks
parchment paper
olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 400 F and heat the grill on high.

Wash the eggplant, dry it, and slice eggplant the long way  in pieces about 1/8 of an inch thick.  Grill the slices on a hot grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, then let them cool.

Wash the mint and basil leaves, dry them and chop them finely mixing them together with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil.

Lay out the pieces of grilled eggplant and sprinkle them with the herbed oil mix, lightly salt them and sprinkle with pecorino.

Roll the pieces holding them together with a toothpick and put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Cook in the oven for 5-6 minutes and then serve.

[/print_this]