Green Ajika Eggplant Rolls
Most of us are familiar with rollatini, planks of eggplant that are breaded and fried, stuffed with cheese, and then baked with marinara sauce, almost like a deconstructed parmesan. These eggplant rolls initially have the same vibe, but then they go off in their own direction. The eggplant is not breaded, it’s baked instead of fried, and it doesn’t get cooked in a sauce. Like we said, it veers off on its own.
This dish is best served on the day it’s made. We did a half-and-half split with both walnuts and hazelnuts. Walnuts are meaty and earthy, hazelnuts are sweet, we wanted both aspects. Feel free just use one nut when you make this dish, and toast the nuts if you want beforehand for a deeper flavor. And look for smaller eggplants, which are easier to slice and handle, though you can use the larger eggplants that are usually available in American grocery stores as long as you cut the planks in half before cooking.
For the eggplant rolls:
1 1/2 cups (3/4 cup each) walnuts and hazelnuts
3 Tablespoons Dry Green Ajika Blend
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt, plus more for salting eggplant
1/4 cup water, plus more if necessary
2-3 medium eggplants, stemmed and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick planks
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Pomegranate seeds and fresh mint or other herbs for garnish
For the sauce:
4 Tablespoons Dry Green Ajika Blend
Zest and juice from one large lemon
1 Tablespoon honey
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
Water, as needed, to thin out the sauce
1. Combine walnuts, hazelnuts, Dry Green Ajika Blend, Kosher Salt, and water in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on high until you have a spreadable paste. If it seems too thick or dry add more water in small increments, until you have the texture you want. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Lay eggplant out over several paper towels or some colanders. Sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Pat off the salt—or rinse the eggplant and pat very dry—and lay on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush both sides of the eggplant with oil, and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until eggplant is soft, flipping once. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
4. While eggplant roasts, make your sauce. Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Taste, and adjust honey or water as necessary.
5. When eggplant is cooked and cool enough to handle, spread a tablespoon of walnut paste on the upper third of a piece of eggplant. Roll up and place on a serving platter, then top each piece of rolled eggplant with a pomegranate seed and a piece of fresh mint, cilantro, or parsley. Serve with dipping sauce on the side.
