Anglicised Involtini

Preparation time: 45 mins Cooking time: 25-30 mins Serves: 4

Description

It's Nigella's but I like to think it's also MINE!!!

Ingredients

- Olive oil for frying (a lot)
- 2 large aubergines cut lengthways into slices 5mm thick (I usually do 3 actually)
- 150ml tomato passata
- 1 ball buffalo mozzarella
For the filling
- 110g Lancashire cheese chopped into very small cubes
- 75g pine nuts
- 50g raisins, soaked in water until plump & then drained
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed (I use 2)
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 egg, beaten

Method

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190C

Heat a generous quantity of olive oil in a frying pan, about enough to make a film about 5mm thick, and fry the aubergine slices a few at a time. As they’re done, remove them to some pieces of kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil. (This can be done in advance - it takes quite a long time and it’s best to have 2 pans on the go at once - actually, maybe you’ve made this before, I can’t remember???)

In a bowl mix together the lancashire cheese, pine nuts, raisins, extra virgin olive oil, breadcrumbs, garlic, parmesan and basil. Season to taste and bind with the egg.

Lay out the cooked slices of aubergine and divide the stuffing between them, then roll them up tightly to secure the filling and put them, as you go, into a lightly greased shallow dish into which they’ll fit snugly. (with all the oil, I actually don’t think you need to grease!)

Pour over the passata. Cut the mozzarella into about 5mm slices and arrange them down the centre in a line lengthways, like a snowman’s buttons. Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.