Aubergine rolls with ricotta (Involtini di melanzane)

1. Cut the aubergines lengthways into slices about 5 mm thick (about 16 slices), brush both sides lightly with olive oil and cook in a hot griddle pan for 2-3 minutes per side until soft and striped; season lightly with salt.

2. For the sauce, fry the crushed garlic clove in the olive oil for 1 minute, add the tomatoes crushed by hand, season with salt and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the garlic.

3. Preheat the oven to 200 °C; beat the ricotta with half the parmesan, salt, pepper and a few torn basil leaves until creamy, and cut the mozzarella into 16 sticks.

4. Put a spoonful of the ricotta cream and a stick of mozzarella on the wider end of each aubergine slice and roll up tightly.

5. Spoon half the sauce into a smallish ovenproof dish, arrange the rolls seam side down on top, spoon over the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan.

6. Bake for 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted; rest for a few minutes and serve hot or warm, garnished with basil leaves.

Tip: The aubergine only bends nicely if it's cooked until completely soft - half-raw slices crack when you roll them; assembled ahead, the dish can wait in the fridge for a day before baking.