Vodka Sauce with Sliced Eggplant Rollatini

Vodka Sauce with Sliced Eggplant Rollatini

When you go through the trouble of making eggplant rollatini there are a few other yummy dishes you can whip up like making this great hor d’ oeuvre of sliced eggplant rollatini on a bed of vodka sauce. This is a fantastic app to make the day after baking the eggplant because for one eggplant dishes always seem to get better the next day and two what a “wow” of an app it is and with such ease because all the work is done. That’s why I recommend freezing the pasta sauce because then you have it on hand and you can pull off a vodka sauce in only 15 minutes! I strain the red pasta sauce into the cream for a smoother texture but if you like a thicker texture just add the sauce with out straining it.

I love to drizzle truffle oil on vodka sauce apps like this one or on any pasta and cream sauce for that matter.You have to be picky about truffle oil though because so many of them are blended with olive oils to save on cost and that just gives you a really muted flavor. White truffle oil is stronger than black truffle oil so you should look out for this as well. My favorite in this area is sold at Star Fish Market called La Truffiere – Tartufo Bianco which has a nice and strong truffle flavor and totally worth the money.

You may need some other apps to go with this scrumtious vodka sauce w/eggplant rollatini slices like Turkey Meatball & Mozzarella on Crostini, Crab Cakes, Cold Cucumber Soup w/ Scallops, Baked Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto, and for dessert how about Chocolate Eclairs with a Vanilla Custard center that is super easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 1 cups heavy whipping cream
• 8 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce from slow cooked pasta sauce 101, pasta sauce tomato-basil 
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup extra dry vermouth
• 5 dashes or so of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 -2/3 cup of Reggiano Parmesano
• 1 recipe from eggplant rollatini
• Truffle oil (optional) (Star Fish Market has the best called La Truffiere Tartufo Bianco – a white truffle oil that’s amazing)

Directions:

1. Re-heat eggplant rollatini in 350º oven for about 20 minutes making sure it’s covered with foil because you don’t want it to dry out (remember you don’t need to cook it…you are just re-heating)
2. Let it sit for a couple of minutes when out of the oven
3. Pour heavy cream into a sauce pan and turn on to medium heat.
4. Add in tomato pasta sauce
5. Add vodka and vermouth and bring to a simmer
6. Simmer for about 5 minutes to let alcohol burn off
7. You can add in a several dashes of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce here …it’s OPTIONAL
8. When reduced slightly take off the heat
9. Whisk in 1/2 cup of Reggiano Parmesano
10. Spoon some vodka sauce onto the center of a plate going a circular motion making the shape of a circle as your base for the eggplant rollatini slices
11. Slice up the eggplant into 3/4 ” slices and place on it’s side to you can see the ricotta on the inside
12. Sprinkle with Parmesan and drizzle with truffle oil…mangia mangia!