The very first Nigella recipe I ever made was the Involtini from Feast. This was a couple of years ago when, as a comparative newbie on n.com, I still didn't have any of Nigella's books and I was very grateful to have the recipe passed on to me by one of my forum pals. I remember now that I made it when we invited some rather picky Italian vegetarian friends over for dinner and it was a complete success. Afterwards I put up a post on n.com saying "I've just made my first Nigella recipe" and amazingly Nigella herself answered!
Well, that was a long time ago and when yesterday I saw some beautiful glossy-black aubergines I just had to buy them and was initially thinking to perhaps make an alternative recipe I'd seen for Baba Ghanoush. Suddenly, however, I thought of this delicious recipe and, after a quick look in the refrigerator and pantry just to check I had all the ingredients, the decision was made. Also it means that I can join in the n.com cookalong for March, which includes the Meatless Feasts chapter from Feast where this recipe can be found.
Nigella's recipe serves 6, I've adapted it a bit as I only wanted to make sufficient for a dinner for two with leftovers to serve as a tapa. As good as this is we don't want to be eating it for three days! What I like about this recipe is that you can do it in stages to suit your day. I firstly cooked the aubergine slices until soft and griddle-marked on my cast-iron ridged grill, then piled them on a plate and put them, covered with a cloth, in the cool pantry. Later I made the filling, prepared the involtini, and lay the neat-looking little parcels in a gratin dish awaiting the approach of dinner time. Afterwards it was just a case pouring over the passata, putting on the topping, and slipping them into a preheated oven.
One thing I would emphasise here, to ensure success, choose your aubergines carefully. They should not only be large but, just as importantly, they should be long too. The longer the slice the easier it is to wrap the filling.
For the stuffing:Nigella's recipe serves 6, I've adapted it a bit as I only wanted to make sufficient for a dinner for two with leftovers to serve as a tapa. As good as this is we don't want to be eating it for three days! What I like about this recipe is that you can do it in stages to suit your day. I firstly cooked the aubergine slices until soft and griddle-marked on my cast-iron ridged grill, then piled them on a plate and put them, covered with a cloth, in the cool pantry. Later I made the filling, prepared the involtini, and lay the neat-looking little parcels in a gratin dish awaiting the approach of dinner time. Afterwards it was just a case pouring over the passata, putting on the topping, and slipping them into a preheated oven.
One thing I would emphasise here, to ensure success, choose your aubergines carefully. They should not only be large but, just as importantly, they should be long too. The longer the slice the easier it is to wrap the filling.
- 2 large aubergines, cut lengthways in slices at most 5mm thick, to giveabout 12 slices
- 100ml olive oil (not extra-virgin)
- 800g can tomato passata
- 150g mozzarella
- 75g feta cheese, crumbled
- 75g mozzarella
- 25g parmesan, grated
- 50g pine nuts
- 35g raisins, soaked in a little hot water until plump, then drained and squeezed-out
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 heaped tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove, crushed or minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 egg, beaten
Heat a griddle, and brush the aubergine slices with oil on both sides. Cook the slices in batches, turning them until soft and crisscrossed on both sides with griddle marks. Leave to cool while you make the stuffing.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5.
Crumble the feta into a bowl. Add the finely chopped mozzarella and the parmesan. Add the pine nuts, raisins, extra-virgin olive oil, breadcrumbs, garlic, lemon zest and herbs. Pour in the beaten egg and fork everything together.
Dollop a small amount of filling on to the wide end of each aubergine slice; I'd say a bulging tablespoonful. Roll them up fairly tightly and lay them flat, not on-end, in a greased gratin dish into which they'll fit snugly. Pour over the passata. Chop the rest of the mozzarella and scatter over. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
I had some lovely green beans in the refrigerator and so, following Nigella's suggestion, I served these alongside drizzled with a little olive oil and lemon juice.
So delicious, I don't know why I have waited so long to make this recipe again. Three involtini a piece is a good serving, they are very filling, and so with the beans on the side we didn't feel we had missed out by not having any kind of carb.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5.
Crumble the feta into a bowl. Add the finely chopped mozzarella and the parmesan. Add the pine nuts, raisins, extra-virgin olive oil, breadcrumbs, garlic, lemon zest and herbs. Pour in the beaten egg and fork everything together.Dollop a small amount of filling on to the wide end of each aubergine slice; I'd say a bulging tablespoonful. Roll them up fairly tightly and lay them flat, not on-end, in a greased gratin dish into which they'll fit snugly. Pour over the passata. Chop the rest of the mozzarella and scatter over. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
I had some lovely green beans in the refrigerator and so, following Nigella's suggestion, I served these alongside drizzled with a little olive oil and lemon juice.
So delicious, I don't know why I have waited so long to make this recipe again. Three involtini a piece is a good serving, they are very filling, and so with the beans on the side we didn't feel we had missed out by not having any kind of carb.
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