Ingredients
Serves: 4–6
MARINATED EGGPLANT
Spinach and tofu ricotta filling
Tomato sauce
Cheese sauce
Method
- Cut the eggplants lengthways into slices that are about ½ cm thick. Make the marinade by combining the olive oil, vinegar, and soy sauce in a mixing bowl.
- Dunk the slices of eggplant into the marinade to coat, then cook in a sandwich press or frying pan until they soften up just enough to roll up in cannelloni. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside.
- To make the spinach and tofu ricotta filling, blanch the spinach (or silver beet leaves) briefly in boiling water until tender, then drain. When cool, use your hands to squeeze out the majority of the liquid from the, then roughly chop.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or saucepan then fry the onion until lightly coloured. If using silver beet, finely chop half of the stalks and cook with the onion.
- Place the tofu into a nut-milk bag (or muslin cloth) and squeeze out the excess liquid.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the tofu, basil, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the prepared greens and onion and combine. Set aside.
- If using fresh tomatoes to make the tomato sauce, preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the chopped tomatoes on a baking tray with all the other sauce ingredients and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before pulsing in a blender to form a sauce. If using canned of tomatoes, simply simmer all sauce ingredients together until the flavours are combined and sauce thickens and reduces a bit.
- To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat then add the flour and whisk to form a paste. Slowly add the milk one ladle at a time, whisking immediately. Once about half of the milk has been added, add the salt, yeast, and garlic powder before continuing with the milk, whisking after each addition. Cook until the sauce thickens.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (if not already on from the tomatoes).
- To assemble, place a layer of tomato sauce in the base of a baking dish. Scoop about 2 dessert spoons of filling onto each slice of marinated eggplant then roll up to make cannelloni. Place each roll in the dish, nice and snug. When the dish is full, top with tomato sauce and finish with a layer of cheese sauce on top. Bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until golden. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
TIP: This dish is best served with fresh salad on the side and soft bread to soak up the delicious juices.
