Eggplant roll ups with Pot Au Grat

Eggplant roll-ups, Potato Au Gratin, and salad

Our friend Alvin was coming over for dinner, and I wanted to make something nice. I hadn't done much with eggplant, and I wanted to do something with pasta but didnt have any, so I made these roll ups using the eggplant instead of pasta. So lets start with that.

Slice one Large eggplant lengthwise into thin sheets, so you have a sort of long noodle. Salt eggplant and set aside to sweat out. While youre waiting for the eggplant to sweat, dice one large red pepper and one medium white onion into small pieces and cook them on stovetop in some olive oil. Once cooked, combine in a bowl with fresh basil, salt, black pepper, and ricotta cheese.

Rinse eggplant, then cook on stove top for a few minutes each side until its still not quite done. Set out an eggplant noodle and put a spoonfull of ricotta mixture on one end and roll it up! Place in pan with the end down, and continue filling. Place remainder of ricotta mixture on top of eggplant rolls and cover all with some mozzarella and more black pepper. Cook in 350 oven for about 10 minutes, just long enough to combine flavors.

Pot Au Grat

Slice enough New Potatoes for about half of what you think you'll need...they are sooo filling and rich. it helpts to pre-cook them a bit. In a bowl, mix cheeses, a pinch of nutmeg, some salt, and milk until youve got a chunky milky cheesy consistancy. Combine with potatoes, put in pan and cook until a fork goes through no problem.

That'll make some form of pot au grat....eh.

Served with a salad, lots of greens, green grapes, red cabbage, whatever you like!

Served 1/27/09 originally