Recipe: Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni with Ricotta and Prosciutto

the appetizer:

Everyday Grilling: 50 Recipes from Appetizers to Desserts by Sur La Table includes recipes like Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni with Ricotta and Prosciutto; Grilled Country Pork Chops with Bourbon-Basted Grilled Peaches; and Tamari-Glazed Halibut with Chopped Mango, Ginger, and Sweet Onion Salad.

Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni
with Ricotta and Prosciutto

Serves 4 as a main course, or 6 as a first course

Lengthwise slices from a large eggplant become supple when grilled, so you can roll them around a ricotta filling as if you were making cannelloni from pasta squares. Blanketed with a homemade fresh-tomato sauce and baked until bubbly and a little crusty around the edges, the fork-tender bundles of stuffed eggplant are the ultimate Italian comfort food.

Ingredients

2 large globe eggplants, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds each
Kosher or sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pounds plum (Roma type) tomatoes, chopped (no need to peel)
8 to 12 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
Kosher or sea salt

Ricotta Filling

2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (or one 15-ounce container)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup minced prosciutto
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for topping

1. Slice off the eggplants' green cap, then cut each eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/3 inch thick. Discard the first and last slices, which are mostly skin. You should get at least six large slices from each eggplant. Sprinkle them generously on both sides with salt, then set the slices on a rack and let stand for 30 minutes. Moisture will bead on the surface.

2. Prepare a moderate charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium (375 degrees F). Pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels, then brush on both sides with the olive oil. Place the slices directly over the coals or gas flame and cook, turning once, until they are nicely marked by the grill and pliable, about 3 minutes per side. They do not need to be fully cooked as they will cook further in the oven. Set the slices aside on a tray to cool.