You can serve this either as an appetizer or as a side dish with some pasta.  Fresh, simple and delicious!

What You’ll Need:

2 Large Eggplants

2 – 3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Teaspoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound goat cheese

½ cup Pesto or Cilantro Pesto (Recipe follows)

2 cups Tomato Basil Sauce (Recipe follows)

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Leave skin on eggplant, cut off ends and slice lengthwise into ¼ inch slices. Whisk together olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.

Brush olive oil mixture on each slice of eggplant, place on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Then, turn over and bake another 10 minutes so that the eggplant is soft so you can roll it.

Mix the goat cheese with ½ cup of pesto and combine well. Place eggplant slices on a cutting board, spread a thin layer of goat cheese and pesto mixture on each slice and roll slices up.  (For the dairy-free version, simply eliminate the goat cheese and use only the pesto).  Place eggplant rolls on greased baking sheet and warm 15 minutes in oven.

Ladle ½ cup of tomato sauce on each plate, place 2 eggplant rolls on top of sauce, dollop with goat cheese pesto mixture and serve.

Serves 4 – 6