Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Generously brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil.  Salt each side

   

3. Roast eggplant on a baking sheet on the lowest rack in the oven.  Eggplant is done when the underside of the eggplant is well cooked/has darkened and dried slightly and the top has started to develop some color.  This will likely be around 30 minutes but start checking at 20 minutes.  No need to flip the eggplant.

4. While the eggplant roasts you can prepare the filling by breaking up the goat cheese with the back of a fork in a small bowl.  Once it is crumbly you can add olives, capers, and parsley and mix well. Set aside.

   

5. Add ¼ cup of olive oil to a large pan at medium heat. You will want a pan that is large enough to allow some space/room for evaporation between ingredients.  Once oil is warm add shallots and garlic.  Allow to cook 3 or 4 minutes until soft but before they start to brown.

6. Drain the roasted red peppers if you are using jarred peppers. Slice the red peppers and add them to the pan. You are blending this all later so the shape does not matter.

7. Turn the heat up and immediately add vinegar and stir. The vinegar will evaporate up in a cloud so don’t stand over the pan as you add the vinegar.  We are using the 19.53 ACV because of its sweet and tangy flavor.

   

8. Add the sugar. Stir and allow the vinegar to mostly evaporate.  We are looking to get these flavors to penetrate into the peppers rather than exist as a big liquid pool next to the peppers.

9. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend well.

10. Add cold water and blend

11. Add ¼ cup of olive oil and blend.

12. Season with salt.  Consider your intended use.  In this recipe the goat cheese/capers/olives will add salt to the final dish so less salt is needed in the roasted red pepper sauce.

13. Remove eggplant from oven when done.  When safe to touch, gently loosen eggplant slices from baking sheet so that you can roll them after.

14. Add about one tablespoon of filling to each eggplant slice and roll the eggplant carefully.  You may be tempted to add more cheese but do not—it is strongly flavored and can overpower the dish if the eggplant rolls are overly stuffed.

    

15. Lower the over to 400 degrees. 

16. Pour the red pepper sauce into a small oven safe dish.  Carefully place the stuffed eggplant rolls on the sauce with the fold side down.

17. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.  Garnish with chopped parsley and serve alongside Israeli/pearl couscous or a grain like barley or farro.