Perfect Pairings: Vini di Bacco Red Table Wine, 2007, Piedmont, Italy, 364754

Eggplant Rolls with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

2 oval eggplants, white or purple
1 cup fresh basil leaves, stems removed
1/2 lb. good mozzarella
1/4 lb. Parmigiano-Reggiano, roughly grated
1/4 lb. prosciutto or ham, sliced paper-thin
olive oil to sautee eggpplant
coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
2 cups tomato sauce (to see our recipe click on "italian main" above)
toothpicks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash eggplants carefully and cut off top and bottom. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, end to end. Then continue cutting the eggplants into 1/4 inch thick slices. If you have a mandoline it will make this part go much faster.

3. Cut prosciutto or ham to roughly the width of the eggplant slices. Depending on the mozzarella you use, either cut the balls in slices about 1/4-inch thick, or slice the block about the same width as the prosciutto or ham. Rinse basil leaves and pat dry on spread-out paper towels.

4. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and place a few at a time in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Sautee, turning until very lightly golden on both sides and softened. Set aside on paper towels to cool.

5. On a large flat work area, lay out one eggplant slice. On it, layer one slice prosciutto, and two or three basil leaves, and the mozzarella, followed by a dash of salt and pepper. Starting at the small end, roll it up and run through with a toothpick to hold.

6. Place the roll-ups in a baking dish and top with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Let stand five minutes and serve hot.







					Eggplant Rolls with Prosciutto and Mozzarella 2 oval eggplants, white or purple 1 cup fresh basil leaves, stems removed 1/2 lb. good mozzarella 1/4 lb. Parmigiano-Reggiano, roughly grated 1/4 lb. prosciutto or ham, sliced paper-thin olive oil to sautee eggpplant coarse salt freshly ground pepper 2 cups tomato sauce (to see our recipe click on "italian main" above) toothpicks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Wash eggplants carefully and cut off top and bottom. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, end to end. Then continue cutting the eggplants into 1/4 inch thick slices. If you have a mandoline it will make this part go much faster. 3. Cut prosciutto or ham to roughly the width of the eggplant slices. Depending on the mozzarella you use, either cut the balls in slices about 1/4-inch thick, or slice the block about the same width as the prosciutto or ham. Rinse basil leaves and pat dry on spread-out paper towels. 4. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and place a few at a time in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Sautee, turning until very lightly golden on both sides and softened. Set aside on paper towels to cool. 5. On a large flat work area, lay out one eggplant slice. On it, layer one slice prosciutto, and two or three basil leaves, and the mozzarella, followed by a dash of salt and pepper. Starting at the small end, roll it up and run through with a toothpick to hold. 6. Place the roll-ups in a baking dish and top with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Let stand five minutes and serve hot.



	Vini di Bacco • Red Table Wine • 364754 Grape: Sangiovese, Montepulciano appearance - bright, clear color : medium, garnet red aroma - strong flavors (smell + taste) sweetness - medium dry acidity - crisp oak - burnt wood fruit - sour cherries • lime earth - black pepper • clove body - medium additional notes - very food friendly, amazingly clean and refreshing, great summer red.				• Italian wines are always a good choice when looking to create a great wine and food pairing. • Vini di Bacco Red Table Wine is a blend of the Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes. The former of the two grapes is most famous as the primary partner in Chianti. • Look for a nice acidity to go with the tomato sauce. And a characteristic common to many Sangiovese based wines, the fruity flavors of sour cherry. • The wine is perfect with the eggplant rolls. The prosciutto adds a nice saltiness and the mozzarella is rich and creamy.