Involtini di Melanzane

Involtini di Melanzane

this is a lovely addition to any antipasti platter....
Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1/2 pound mozzarella
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 pound prosciutto slices
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation
Peel and cut the eggplant horizontally into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces. Sprinkle each side with salt & place them on a platter or in a colander with a plate underneath. Let stand for approximately 30-45 minutes. This will help eliminate most of the moisture. Rinse each slice and pat them dry. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet heat oil. Place a single layer of eggplants in the skillet and fry until each side has turned brown. Drain slices by placing them on a paper towel.
Evenly cut the mozzarella cheese so that you have one piece for each slice of eggplant. Make sure the mozzarella is slightly smaller than the eggplant slices. Place the eggplant on a workable surface. Add a basil leaf, a slice of mozzarella, a slice of prosciutto and salt & pepper to taste on top of each eggplant.
Take about half of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and sprinkle it on top of each slice. Take one end and start rolling. When you finished rolling the eggplant you can either fasten the end with a toothpick or you can place that side down in the dish so it will not open. In an ovenproof baking dish place 3/4 cup of the sauce and evenly spread it. Lay each piece in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce and sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over top of each piece.
Put the dish in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes.