Spicy Eggplant Rollatini with Kasaundi filling

30 June 2026 By

A super comforting fried Italian style Eggplant Roll stuffed with a spicy creamy cheese mixture and then baked with a rich tomato passata sauce until meltingly soft and golden.

Ingredients

  • 1 large firm globe eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into 8 thin long even slices approx. 3-4mm thick
  • Sea salt

Breading

  • 2 eggs, whisked lightly in a rectangular container
  • 2 cups panko or Italian breadcrumbs placed in a rectangular container or use flour for dredging instead

Frying

  • Olive or vegetable oil as required

Combine in a bowl

To bake

  • 2½ cups tomato passata sauce
  • 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Garnish

  • Fresh basil and shredded flat leaf parsley

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Method

  1. Prepare the eggplant. Remove the eggplant stem and trim the end. Peel the skin off.
  2. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 8 thin long even slices approx. 3-4mm thick (not in rounds or rings). This is to ensure you can easily roll the eggplant to contain the cheesy kasaundi mixture.
  3. Now to salt the eggplant. Place a plate below a colander. Place 1 layer of eggplant down in colander and sprinkle with salt. Repeat for any additional layers. Set aside for 1 hour. After an hour the eggplant will have released some of its water. Rinse the eggplant to remove excess salt, then thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
    TIP: Salting the eggplant and allowing it to rest before using helps draw out the moisture so the eggplant isn’t watery when frying. Salting also allows the eggplant to ‘sweat out’ any of its bitterness and breaks down its sponge like texture.
  4. Dip eggplant slices in whisked egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a tray. Repeat with all the slices.
  5. Heat about 2 cm oil in a large cast iron fry pan, over medium-high heat.
  6. Fry eggplant slices about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown but still firm. Remove and place on a wire rack or paper towel lined tray to drain. Repeat until all slices have been fried and kept this way to cool and drain any excess oil.
  7. Meanwhile preheat oven to fan forced at 180°C and set the rack/shelf to the middle level.
  8. When eggplant is cool to touch, start assembling the rolls. Spread a thin layer of cheese kasaundi filling mixture onto each slice. Don’t overfill.
  9. Roll up tightly, inserting a couple of toothpicks on each side to hold it together and place seam-side down on a plate. Repeat with all the rolls.
  10. On a baking dish, spread a few tablespoons of the tomato passata to cover the base.
  11. Then place the rolls on top. Pour the rest of the tomato passata sauce over the eggplant rolls. Sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
  12. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are warmed all the way through. Grill for a few minutes if you’d like a crustier golden look.
  13. Serve sprinkled with basil and flat leaf parsley.