Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, about 350 g, cut lengthwise into 10 slices, each about 3 mm thick
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ red capsicum, seeded and cut into thin strips
- ½ green capsicum, seeded and cut into thin strips
- 1 zucchini, cut into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat–leaf parsley
- 6 tomatoes, diced
- pinch of sugar
- 200 ml passata
- ⅓ cup (20 g) chopped fresh basil
- 175 g mozzarella, diced
- 8 black olives, pitted and chopped
- salt and pepper
- sprigs of fresh basil to garnish
Preparation
- Dice the 2 outer (end) slices of eggplant, with the peel, and set aside to add to the filling.
- Use 2 teaspoons of the oil to brush the remaining 8 eggplant slices sparingly on both sides.
- Heat a ridged chargrill or frying pan and brown the eggplant slices for about 2 minutes on each side or until they are tender but not soft.
- Set aside on a board.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion, half of the garlic, the capsicums, zucchini and reserved diced eggplant for about 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the parsley and half of the diced tomatoes, and continue to cook for a further 5–6 minutes.
- Season the vegetable mixture, add the sugar and pour in the passata.
- Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is richly flavoured and thickened.
- In a bowl, combine the remaining garlic and diced tomatoes with the chopped basil, mozzarella and olives.
- Set this topping mixture aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Lightly season the eggplant slices.
- Place a generous portion of the braised vegetable filling at the wider end of one slice and roll up to enclose the filling.
- Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and filling, placing the rolls side by side in an ovenproof dish.
- Spoon the tomato and mozzarella mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese topping has melted.
- Garnish with basil sprigs and serve hot or warm.