Eggplant is one of my favourite vegetables: versatile, flavorful and perfect for many dishes. Today I’m sharing my all-time favourite side dish — which also works beautifully as an appetizer — involtini di melanzane, or eggplant involtini. This is my mum’s recipe and, like most family recipes, it’s hard to beat. The filling is similar to that used for meat involtini, but a topping of tomato sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano takes these to another level. They’re delicious warm or cold, but I prefer them at room temperature because the flavours meld together more harmoniously. You can prepare them ahead of time — even a day in advance — and bake when needed, or bake and serve cold later. These involtini are a classic Regional Italian dish from Sicily.
Ingredients for 4–6 people:
10 slices fried eggplant, each slice cut in half (slice eggplant about 1 cm / 1/2 inch thick before frying)
3 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, to sprinkle on top
For the filling
2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
25 g salami, finely chopped
30 g provolone piccante, cubed small
2 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp tinned diced tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
1 tsp parsley, chopped (optional)
1 pinch salt
For the tomato sauce
400 ml tomato purée
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp onion, chopped
Basil leaves
Salt to taste
Begin by making the tomato sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a small pot and sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent. Add the tomato purée, a pinch of salt and a few basil leaves. Cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
To prepare the filling, combine the finely chopped onion, chopped salami, cubed provolone piccante, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, diced tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, parsley (if using) and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix well. Depending on the dryness of the breadcrumbs, you may need to add more olive oil so the mixture is soft enough to hold together when pressed into a patty without crumbling.
Slice the eggplants into 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick slices and soak them in salted water for 30 minutes to remove bitterness. Pat the slices dry and fry them in vegetable oil until golden. Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Place a fried eggplant slice flat and spoon 1 to 1½ tablespoons of filling onto the lower end. Shape the filling into a compact patty with your hands, then roll the eggplant slice around it. Repeat with remaining slices and filling, arranging the finished involtini in a single layer in a suitably sized oven dish.
Pour the cooled tomato sauce over the arranged involtini and sprinkle evenly with the 3 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 15–20 minutes, until the Parmigiano forms a golden crust and the sauce is bubbling.
Serve the involtini warm, at room temperature, or cold. They keep well and can be prepared ahead — a perfect make-ahead dish that showcases the simple, comforting flavours of Sicilian home cooking.