Imagine creamy, milky ricotta enhanced with sweet and thick Balsamico vinegar, some fresh basil leaves stirred in and all this spread on grilled slices of aubergine, and you’ll have a combination so smooth and velvety that it melts in your mouth! This to me is an absolute perfect match, maybe my favourite way to enjoy aubergine.

I like to make this as a starter for a dinner party, it’s easy to prepare and my guests always love it, or as a luscious in between nibble. What’s even better is to roll them for a relaxed dinner on a warm evening, with windows wide open, some ciabatta bread on the table and wine, cheese, thin slices of prosciutto or Mortadella di Bologna. I love it, it feels like a little holiday, for only a few hours but with the same effect as being in a restaurant in Italy. That’s what I love about food, it’s like music, it can put you in a different time, place and mood and it’s all in your hands!

Grilled Aubergine Rolls filled with Ricotta, Balsamico Vinegar and Basil

As a starter for 4 you need

big aubergines, cut into 1/2cm / 1/4″ slices, 2
olive oil to brush the slices of aubergine, around 75ml, maybe more depending on the size of the aubergines
fresh ricotta 140g / 5 ounces
heavy cream 2 tablespoons
Balsamico vinegar 2 tablespoons or more to taste
fresh basil leaves, cut into strips, around 10 or more to taste
salt and black pepper

Set your oven to grill.

Brush the aubergines with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill in the oven until golden brown and soft on both sides, they will darken partly but that’s fine. Mine needed 7 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other but that depends on the oven. Set the aubergines aside and stack them, that will keep them moist and soft.

Whisk the ricotta, cream and Balsamico vinegar, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the basil. Spread a teaspoon of the ricotta cream on top of each slice of aubergine and roll lengthwise.