Chargrilled eggplant and feta rolls

Serve these lovely cheesy rolls at room temperature as part of a mezze, scattered with pomegranate seeds.

Credit: James Murphy

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  4 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 175 g feta cheese
• 175 g ricotta 
• Small handful flatleaf parsley, chopped 
• 5–6 rasps nutmeg, freshly grated
• 10 black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 ½ tbsp capers, chopped

To serve

• 100 g mixed rocket, watercress and baby spinach
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• seeds from ½ pomegranate 
• salt and pepper 

Instructions

Cut the eggplants lengthwise into slices about 5mm thick. You should get about 6 slices from each eggplant. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with oil and grill them in batches on a barbecue or pan for 3–4 minutes on each side until browned, tender and pliable. Set them aside.

Mash the feta and ricotta in a bowl with a fork and add the parsley, nutmeg and black pepper. Stir in the capers.

Spoon a generous tablespoon of filling onto the wide end of each eggplant slice and roll it up like a Swiss roll. To serve, arrange the salad leaves on a platter, dress them with lemon juice and olive oil, then season. Arrange the aubergine rolls on top, seam-side down, and decorate them with pomegranate seeds.

Serve at room temperature as a starter or part of a mezze. 

Recipe from The Road to Mexico by Rick Stein, photography by James Murphy, published by BBC Books, RRP $49.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.