Modified from a recipe published in Gourmet, Sept 1992, as recorded on epicurious.com

This meal or appetizer serves 3-6, depending on its accompaniments.  It is very rich, and I found it went well with acidic toppings and salad.

Tomato topping:
1 onion, chopped fairly fine
olive oil
2 lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped


Eggplant rolls:
one eggplant, roughly 1 lb (smaller ones are a bit harder to roll, though a 12 oz eggplant does still work for appetizer-sized rolls)
1/4 lb fresh mozzarella, roughly chopped
3.5 oz (one package) of local goat cheese, roughly chopped
1/2 c fresh basil, shredded
olive oil or olive oil cooking spray


First, slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4" slices.  Salt the slices on both sides and let them sweat and drain in a colander for the next half-hour.

Begin the sauce by cooking the onion in the olive oil over moderate heat.  When the onion has softened, add the chopped tomatoes.  Let this simmer while you continue with your preparations, but keep stirring it occasionally.  Turn off the heat when you are satisfied with the consistency of the sauce. 

Mix the cheeses and fresh basil together.  When the eggplant has released its liquid, pat the slices dry.  Coat them with olive oil and broil each side until it is golden brown, roughly 3 minutes per side.  Keep a close watch on them toward the end; if you make them too crispy, you won't be able to roll them around the filling. 

Once the eggplant is broiled, top each slice with a spoonful of the cheese/basil mixture.  Spread the topping from the narrow end and leave a half-inch or so of bare eggplant at the broad end.  Roll each slice from narrow to broad end.  Arrange the rolls on an oiled cooking sheet, seam-down, and broil briefly or bake until the cheeses melt.

Serve the eggplant rolls with the tomato topping.  You may garnish with more fresh basil, if it appeals.  We enjoyed this accompanied by a salad and fresh-pickled thinly-sliced cucumbers and onions dressed in vinegar.  This makes a light meal; you may wish to have another side dish or entree.

Ingredient sources:
The eggplant, tomatoes, and basil for this recipe came from our CSA share (Sweet Land Farm).  The goat cheese was from Lively Run dairy.  Locally grown onions are available from Greenstar, CSAs, farmers markets, or (in large quantities, at good prices) from the Amish market in Seneca Falls.