Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

This one has a few more steps

you can adjust and simplify as you wish. Yes, it is vegan, but don't let that turn you off from trying this. It's so good, the non vegans will never know!

I'm going to break the recipes up into 4 parts to make it easier to follow

I usually start with soaking the cashews, then make the sauce first so it can simmer. Prep the eggplant next. Make the filling while the eggplant bakes. Make the breadcrumbs while the eggplant cools enough to handle. With any leftovers, and any broken parts I layer (breadcrumbs only on top) and bake it in a small baking dish

Preheat oven to 400

Eggplant:

Peel and thinly slice eggplant

Sprinkle with salt and let the eggplant sweat for about 20 minutes

Rinse and pat dry

Brush both sides with oil and bake for about 12 minutes. You want the eggplant a bit easier to move

Sauce:

In a pot, heat oil, add diced onion, red pepoer and

2 cloves chopped garlic.

Once translucent, add:

28 oz of diced tomato,

28 oz of crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon of sugar (more if you like it sweeter)

Basil- handful of fresh chopped or a few teaspoons. of dried

Rosemary- 3 sprigs of fresh chopped or a few teaspoons of dried

Oregano

Ground pepper

Red pepper flakes

Let it sit on low until the flavors marry. I wouldn't go over 2 hours, taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Filling: I promise it's delicious, but do yourself a favor and don't taste it until it's the final dish!

Soak 1 cup of raw cashews in a cup of water for a few hours ( at least 2) if you need it faster soak in hot water for a bit.

In a food processor add rinsed and drained cashews and 1/2 cup of unsweetened dairy free milk (I use oatmilk) and pluse until a paste starts to form. I leave it a bit chunky.

Then add:

7oz of frim tofu

2 tablespoons tablespoon of lemon juice

1 half onion

2 cloves of garlic (paste or dried work)

A handful of basil or a few shakes of dried

Oregano

Rosemary

Pulse a bit more

Breadcrumbs:

2 to 3 pieces of bread pulsed in a ninja. Toss them in a hot dry pan with dried Oregano, basil, and Rosemary. Add a drizzle of oil and toast them up a bit.

Assemble:

A few spoonfuls of sauce on the bottom of baking dish

Spread the filling on the eggplant and roll. Continue until all of the eggplant has been filled and rolled. Top with more sauce, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Bake at 400 for a out 20 minutes until space is bubbling.

Let me know if you've tried it and how you changed things up to work for your family.