Executive Chef Andy Teixeira, Brix at Newport Vineyards, Middletown
I ate as a vegetarian for the better part of a year and it helped me give my vegetarian guests a much better experience than just throwing pasta their way. This dish makes for a truly satisfying meal—one my “meatarian” friends enjoy just as well, I promise. Serve over plenty of sautéed greens cooked with slivered garlic and shallot.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants, ends trimmed, sliced end to end in ¼-inch-thick planks, trimmings set aside
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup slivered garlic
- ¼ cup minced shallots
- 1 cup minced eggplant from leftover trimmings
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and small diced
- 1 bottle Newport Vineyards Gemini Red (½ cup for recipe, the rest for you!)
- ⅔ cup quinoa cooked according to package directions and cooled on a sheet pan
- ½ cup Narragansett Creamery fresh ricotta
- ¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded Narragansett Creamery smoked mozzarella
- Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (for garnish)
- Microgreens (for garnish)
Preparation
Preheat grill or use a hot grill pan. Brush both sides of eggplant planks with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat quickly (about 1 to 2 minutes per side), until pliable. Set aside to cool.
Next, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, cook until lightly golden; stir in the shallots and cook until translucent. Add minced eggplant and tomatoes with ½ cup of red wine and cook until eggplant is soft and wine has somewhat evaporated. Pour yourself a glass to finish the cooking! Transfer the mixture to a bowl with quinoa and fold in the ricotta and basil and season to taste.
To assemble rollatini, place a large spoonful of stuffing onto each eggplant slice and roll up, placing seam side down in a greased baking dish. (Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.)
When ready to serve, heat the oven 350°F, cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.
While the rollatinis are baking, melt butter in a saucepan on low-medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Add milk and cream and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes while stirring frequently. When sauce has thickened, add shredded mozzarella. Whisk until smooth and season to taste. (Adjust thickness by adding more cream if needed.)
Serve rollatini over sautéed greens and spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with cheese shavings and microgreens. Hopefully, there is still some wine to have with dinner! Serves 4 or 6 depending on your appetite.
