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Dearest Ema,
Since this incredible recipe is yours, I find it appropriate to dedicate it to you.
What I love most about this recipe isn’t just the flavor, though the flavor is unforgettable. It’s the care and the love.
Growing up, I didn’t realize I was watching an artist at work. I thought it was normal, the way you cooked so elegantly.
I know that what you gave me isn’t just a recipe. It’s a way of seeing. You taught me that food is generosity. That presentation is a form of respect. That even the most ordinary ingredients deserve to be handled with care. You taught me that feeding people isn’t about impressing them — it’s about honoring them.
Every time I make this dish, I try to roll the eggplant the way you do. Mine is never quite as symmetrical as yours. And when I lay the slices over arugula for serving, I hear your voice reminding me: “Neshamah sheli, take your time. Make it beautiful.”
That’s the thing about your cooking — it was never rushed. It carried your steadiness, your quiet confidence, and your deep instinct for nurturing your family. This roulade is festive, yes. Elegant, absolutely! But more than anything, it’s you! Warm. Thoughtful. Stunning without even trying to be.
I’m writing this not just to share your recipe, but to thank you for it and for everything it represents. For showing me that beauty belongs in the everyday. For teaching me that feeding people is one of the purest forms of love. For making our table a place of love and connection.
I hope when people make this dish they feel even a fraction of what I felt growing up in your kitchen — that sense of being cared for so completely, so quietly, that you almost don’t notice it until you’re older.
With all my love,
Your forever sous-chef
1 pound (450 grams) ground meat
2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, diced
1 tomato, peeled and finely diced
2 1.23-ounce (35-gram) bags chestnuts, chopped (I use Gefen)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chicken soup mix, such as Lipton
1 tablespoon Pereg Paprika in Oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large eggplant
Cook the ground meat in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully browned and crumbly. Once cooked through, drain most of the liquid. Transfer meat to a bowl and allow it to cool.
In the same pan, heat oil and sauté the onion until soft and golden. Remove from heat.
Place the meat, sautéed onion, tomato, chestnuts, parsley, chicken soup mix, paprika, pepper, and salt in a food processor. Pulse just until the mixture comes together. It should be cohesive and slightly chunky. Set aside.
Preheat oven to broil. Position a rack on the lowest level of the oven. Line a baking sheet with Gefen Parchment Paper and grease it lightly.
Slice the eggplants lengthwise into one-inch (two and 1/2-centimeter) thick slices. Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops generously with cooking spray.
Broil on one side until tender and beautifully golden with a lightly fried appearance. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, arrange eggplant slices on a fresh sheet of parchment paper, forming a large rectangle. The slices should overlap just enough to create a solid base that can be rolled.
Spread meat filling evenly down the center, shaping it into a long mound.
Using the parchment paper to guide you, carefully roll the eggplant over the filling, forming a tight, snug log. Continue rolling until it’s sealed into one large roulade.
Wrap the roulade in the parchment paper. Then wrap it tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius).
Bake for two hours.
Remove from oven and allow to rest before unwrapping. When ready to serve, unwrap and slice into thick rounds.
Photography by Chay Berger
Food Prep by Leah Hamaoui
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