This dish makes for a nice vegetable side with just about any main course of meat, fish or other protein. There's a little work involved but nothing terribly complicated. It's even easier to prepare if, contrary to the original recipe, you don't sauté the veggies first. I did this unintentionally once and I ended up liking this version better than the sautéed one. My variation results in vegetables with a crunchy texture which I quite enjoy. You decide which is preferable.
Also, I prefer a more pungent cheese like Tallegio to the original's Emmental. The former will be more difficult to julienne however. You can use any cheese of your liking. Experiment. Have fun. Adapted from La Cucina Italiana - Italian Cooking, eds. Johnson and Moore.
Preparation
2 lbs. eggplant
4 oz. leek
2 medium stalks celery
7 oz. zucchini
4 oz. Emmenthal
olive oil
breadcrumbs*
parsley
Slice eggplants thinly. Salt both sides and drain on paper towels for about 30 minutes. Cut into julienne strips only the tender white and green parts of well washed leek, along with the celery and zucchini. Sauté at medium high in the olive oil very briefly to maintain some crunch in the vegetables. Season with salt and set aside to cool
Place eggplant slice under broiler and under watchful eye turn over when first sides are are slightly browned. Remove and let cool. Preheat the over to 350℉.
Assemble the involtini by placing the evenly distributed veggies and cheese on the eggplant slices. Roll up and place in an ovenproof casserole dish. Season with salt and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Lastly, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes. When the cheese starts melting and a nice crust develops on the tops, remove and serve.
So many good Italian wines from which to choose to accompany the meal. Again, experiment. Have fun!
*In the above photo I substituted pork rind "bread crumbs" for the involtini in the smaller dish, which makes it more keto/low carb friendly.
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