I think I'm safe in saying that this is a unique recipe. I searched and couldn't find any other involtini using this combination of ingredients. It was improvisation really - I had an aubergine that needed using up and corn happened to be the recipe challenge ingredient. I enjoy making involtini so I thought how to stuff corn into an involtini? I reckoned that an omelette would do the trick. But it needed more than sweetcorn, egg and aubergine (that would be too sweet and bland) so I added cheese - a good strong cheddar which would melt in the middle of the involtini. A spicy hot tomato sauce provided, a good contrast in colour and taste.
To be honest, I didn't expect this dish to be that good. I knew it would be OK but had no high hopes. I was very surprised. Some kind of alchemy happened in the oven. It was delicious! More than the sum of its parts, I would say. Its good served with rice or chips or on its own as a starter with some crusty bread.
Ingredients (makes 5 to 6 involtini)
For the aubergine ‘wraps’
1 x aubergine thinly sliced from stem to base
1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the tomato sauce
1/2 large onion, chopped finely
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
A good splash of red wine
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
Salt to taste
For the filling
2 eggs
Oil for frying
A good handful of cooked sweetcorn
Cheddar cheese
Method
To make the aubergine ‘wraps’
To be honest, I didn't expect this dish to be that good. I knew it would be OK but had no high hopes. I was very surprised. Some kind of alchemy happened in the oven. It was delicious! More than the sum of its parts, I would say. Its good served with rice or chips or on its own as a starter with some crusty bread.
Ingredients (makes 5 to 6 involtini)
For the aubergine ‘wraps’
1 x aubergine thinly sliced from stem to base
1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the tomato sauce
1/2 large onion, chopped finely
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
A good splash of red wine
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
Salt to taste
For the filling
2 eggs
Oil for frying
A good handful of cooked sweetcorn
Cheddar cheese
Method
To make the aubergine ‘wraps’
- Heat the oven to 170C
- Brush the aubergine slices with oil and lay them on a non-stick baking tray.
- Place in the oven for 20 mins or until softened. Remove and set aside. They will keep happily, stacked in a sealed box in the fridge for a few days.
- Soften the chopped onion in oil until translucent.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, chilli and wine.
- Simmer gently for 25 mins to reduce the sauce by a third. Add salt to taste. You can puree the sauce if you wish. It will keep in the fridge for at least a week.
- Using a large frying pan to make a thin omelette from the 2 eggs. Before it sets completely, sprinkle the sweetcorn over the top and then finish cooking under a grill (broiler).
- Cut the cheese into fairly thick oblongs, one for each aubergine slice.
- Heat the oven to 180C
- Cut the cooled omelette into shapes/strips to fit the aubergine slices.
- Place a piece of omelette on each aubergine slice, add the pieces of cheese and then roll up.
- Place the tomato sauce in the base of an oven proof dish and add the involtini. Brush to tops with a little vegetable oil.
- Bake for 20 - 25 mins.
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