Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

                                                    

Vegan Eggplant Rollatini is a delightful Italian dish that features tender slices of eggplant filled with a flavorful vegan ricotta cheese mixture, rolled up, and baked to perfection with marinara sauce. Let's get cooking!

Ingredients:

For the Eggplant Rollatini:

• 2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vegan Ricotta Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 1 hour, then drained

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• Salt and pepper to taste

For Assembling:

• 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)

• 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese (shredded)

• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet, brush both sides with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Bake the eggplant slices in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they become tender. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.

4. While the eggplant is baking, prepare the vegan ricotta filling. In a food processor, combine the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped basil, and chopped parsley. Pulse until you get a creamy and smooth mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Lay out the baked eggplant slices on a flat surface. Spread a spoonful of the vegan ricotta filling on each slice.

6. Carefully roll up the eggplant slices with the filling, creating a neat rollatini.

7. In a baking dish, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom. Place the eggplant rollatini in the dish, seam-side down, arranging them in a single layer.

8. the remaining marinara sauce over the rollatini, making sure they are well coated.

9. Sprinkle vegan mozzarella cheese on top of the rollatini.

10. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

11.  Optionally, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking to let the cheese develop a golden crust.

12. Once done, remove the Vegan Eggplant Rollatini from the oven. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Serve your Vegan Eggplant Rollatini as a delicious and elegant main course. It pairs well with a side salad or garlic bread for a complete and satisfying meal. Enjoy!