Grilled Eggplant Roll-ups with Ricotta Pesto

By Birgitta

Eggplant with ricotta pesto filling, a perfect side dish! Serve with grilled chicken for an easy dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup pesto, homemade or store bought
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat a stovetop grill pan, or outdoor grill, over high heat.

Cut the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices (about 6 slices each eggplant). Brush the eggplant slices evenly with olive oil on both sides. Grill the eggplant slices in batches for 3 minutes each side. Allow to cool slightly.

Mix the ricotta cheese, pesto and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Spread a heaped tablespoon of the mixture evenly over each eggplant slice. Roll up the eggplant slices, place on a plate seam-side down, brush with a little olive oil if desired, and serve immediately.

Variations: Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, roasted red pepper or prosciutto to the ricotta-pesto mixture for even more flavor and texture. For smaller bite-size roll-ups substitute grilled zucchini slices for eggplant, use less ricotta-pesto mixture in each, and secure rolls with a toothpick.