Roasted Eggplant Cannelloni Recipe

Roast eggplants

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Prick the eggplants with a fork, place on a rimmed baking sheet, brush lightly with 1 tbs olive oil, and roast 30–40 minutes until very soft and collapsed. Let cool slightly.

Drain and chop

When cool enough to handle, slice open the eggplants and spoon flesh into a fine sieve or colander. Press gently to drain excess liquid, then chop or roughly purée the flesh; you want a textured mixture, not completely smooth. Measure about 2 cups of flesh.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 6–8 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine filling

Add the chopped/puréed eggplant to the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes to marry flavors and evaporate any remaining moisture. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in ricotta, grated Parmesan, chopped basil, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should be creamy but scoopable.

Prepare pasta

Bring salted water (about 2 liters) to a rolling boil. If using dried cannelloni tubes, cook them for half the package time so they are pliable but not fully soft (typically 4–5 minutes), then drain and cool on a sheet brushed with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. If using fresh lasagna sheets, blanch sheets for 1–2 minutes then lay flat on a towel.

Fill shells

Fit a piping bag (or small spatula) to fill the tubes. Spoon or pipe the eggplant-ricotta filling into each cannelloni tube, filling nearly to the ends. If using sheets, cut into rectangles and roll with 3–4 tablespoons filling each, sealing edges with a little ricotta.

Arrange in baking dish

Lightly oil a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish. Spoon 1/2 cup of the roasted red pepper purée in a thin layer on the bottom to prevent sticking. Arrange filled cannelloni seam-side down in a single layer.

Brush tops

Lightly brush the tops of the cannelloni with 1 tbs olive oil to promote gentle browning while baking.

Bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the assembled cannelloni uncovered for 20–25 minutes until heated through and edges are slightly golden. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.

Blend purée

Place the drained roasted red peppers, 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp vinegar, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a blender or food processor. Purée until very smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Taste and adjust acidity or seasoning. Keep warm or reheat gently before plating.

Make basil crème fraîche

In a blender or with an immersion blender, combine crème fraîche, fresh basil leaves, lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Blend until the basil is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and pale green. Chill briefly if needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Dress arugula

Toss baby arugula with 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and 1/8 tsp sea salt. Add toasted nuts if using.

Plate and finish

To serve, on each plate spoon a streak or pool (about 2–3 tbs) of the roasted red pepper purée. Place 2 cannelloni on top. Drizzle or dot 1–2 tbs basil crème fraîche over each cannelloni. Add a small mound (about 1/2 cup) of dressed baby arugula beside the pasta. Finish with microgreens or basil leaves and an optional sprinkle of grated Parmesan and a final drizzle of olive oil.