It’s crazy that we’re already entering the second half of July. After a weekend spent in Cleveland, I quickly realized that we are somehow deep into summer. The produce in the Midwest is thriving, and a quick trip to Whole Foods proved that. For me, this is such a fun time of year to cook in the kitchen. The variety of tomatoes, squashes, peppers, and fruits the season has to offer makes my produce options endless! I always have a lot of fun trying to be creative with foods I haven’t used before or don’t use often. Eggplant is a produce I’ve only cooked with a handful of times, but I had fun here, and I’m excited to share this new recipe with you all! Eggplant isn’t always the yummiest vegetable, but when cooked properly, it can be delicious! Today I combined it with yellow summer squash (or zucchini) for a good mix and it came out perfect!
Here are the details
Step 1: roast the eggplant Start by slicing the eggplant into strips and roasting it to make it easier to work with and less tough. Then just olive oil and some salt and into the oven it goes.
Step 2: make the sauce While the eggplant is roasting, make the tomato sauce. I kept this very simple, using canned tomatoes, fresh oregano, and thyme. I did add a special ingredient, spicy Italian chicken sausage. Of course, if you’re vegetarian or just going for a meatless Monday, you can easily omit the sausage from the sauce. I recommend adding some fresh garlic and a touch more crushed red pepper flakes. This will keep the sauce flavorful and spicy.
Step 3: prep the zucchini Start by slicing the zucchini into thin ribbons. I find this easiest to do with a mandoline, but you can also use a knife. Lay the zucchini flat, sprinkle it with salt, and let it sit for a few minutes. This will draw out any excess water and make the zucchini ribbons pliable for rolling. It’s a little extra work, but it’s worth it.
Step 4: the ricotta Now mix ricotta cheese with basil pesto. I also mix in Fontina cheese. YUM! Step 5: roll and bake Take the eggplant and zucchini and place a dollop of ricotta cheese onto each strip, then roll the ricotta cheese up in the eggplant and zucchini. You should now have cute little stuffed rolls!
Place each roll into the tomato sauce. Add cheese on top, then bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melty. Your kitchen will smell incredible, like an Italian grandma’s kitchen! If I could best describe this dish I would say that it’s kind of like stuffed pasta shells, but minus the pasta. It truly is mouth-watering. This is a great way to use the season’s best produce. It’s also easy enough to serve any night of the week or for your next Saturday night dinner party.
Looking for other summer pasta? Try these weeknight favorites. Lemon Basil Zucchini Pasta Alfredo Jammy Cherry Tomato Pasta with Crisp Lemon Rosemary Chickpeas Antipasto Pasta Salad with Herby Parmesan Vinaigrette One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta 20 minute lemon butter pasta with ricotta and spicy breadcrumbs Lastly, if you make this Eggplant Zucchini Pesto Involtini, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
