I haven’t posted in a while. Even with all four boys in college, things still seem to be busy, but in a different way from when they were young. I still love to cook but cooking for two is an adjustment. I rarely cut a recipe in half, so Charles and I end up eating it for days as leftovers.

We have three of the four boys home for the summer. They have secured remote internships. Our fourth is working in Boston for the summer. We hope to see him on weekends.

This eggplant involutini recipe is reminiscent of eggplant rollatini, but a lighter version. It’s still incredibly delicious though, and very easy to make. I find that it’s easy enough for a weeknight meal. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a little bit of effort, you can have this meal on your table in no time. I served this to a bunch of college friends recently and they all loved it.

When I plate this dish, I top it with some warm marinara sauce and grated parmesan cheese. It’s really delicious.

Eggplant Involtini
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 medium eggplants [1 pound each or 2 pounds total)
Olive oil for brushing
1 24-oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta
4 ounces coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided
Finely grated zest and juice from half a lemon
Fresh basil leaves, for serving

Prepare the eggplant: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper if roasting the eggplant. Cut off the tops of the eggplants and cut into generous 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Brush lightly with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Flip slices and repeat on the second side.

Transfer to oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on the first side, then flip each slice and roast for another 8 to 10 on the second, until browned on each side. Watch the eggplant. If you sliced them unevenly or too thinly, they will start to burn.

While the eggplant cools, put approximately two cups of marinara sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish (I used a 13 x 9″ dish).

Assemble the involtini: In a bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, lemon zest, about 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Place about 1 tablespoon (I used a 1T ice cream scoop to do this) at the end of each full-sized slice of cooked eggplant, a little less on small ones, using all of the filling, Roll into a small tube. Place each roll in prepared sauce, seam side down.

Bake: Brush tops of eggplant rolls lightly with olive oil and bake uncovered approximately 30 minutes, until bubbly around the edges and browned on top. Squeeze lemon juice over the top (optional) and scatter with basil leaves before serving. Serve hot, with reserved sauce and additional grated parmesan cheese on the side.

Yield: 4 servings