Our eggplant rolls with walnuts will forever change your idea of this seemingly well-known appetizer. The filling, in this case, does not at all consist of grated semi-hard or processed cheese mixed with garlic: it is more original, but at the same time not too complicated. The basis is walnuts with cilantro with the addition of cream cheese. And be sure to decorate the eggplant rolls with walnuts with pomegranate seeds.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 large eggplants
- 1/2 – 1 bunch of cilantro
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
- 1/2 package cream cheese
- Seeds of 1 pomegranate
- 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
- salt – to taste
- freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Directions:
- To prepare eggplant rolls, wash, dry, then cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips. Salt them generously, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse and dry. Eggplant prepared this way will absorb less oil when frying.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the eggplant slices in batches on both sides. Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- As a healthier way to make eggplant – drizzle oil and sent the eggplants on the cookie sheet into the preheated to 380 F oven for 20 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and not hard.
- To stuff the rolls, wash and dry the cilantro. Leave a few leaves for decoration. Place the rest in a blender bowl, and add the peeled garlic and 1/2 tsp. salt and chop. Gradually, continuing to work with a blender, add all the nuts.
- Mix the resulting nut mass with cream cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread each eggplant strip with this mixture and roll the strips up. Set the rolls on a dish.
- Wash the pomegranate. Cut its peel in 4-6 places and disassemble the fruit into slices. Take out the seeds. Sprinkle them over eggplant rolls, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
Tips
To make walnuts for stuffing eggplant rolls more fragrant and tasty, fry the kernels first in a dry frying pan and then let cool.
Eggplant rolls with walnuts are best prepared the day before serving: they will become tastier. Don’t forget to cover the eggplant rolls up in a container so they will not get exposed to too much air that will make them dry.