Served with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce, these spring rolls will grace your Yom Tov table with elegance and class. Thanks to Susie Zeilik for the inspiration. Yields 24 appetizers

Directions

Make the Spring Rolls

1. Preheat oven to broil. Cut red peppers in half, remove seeds, and place face down on an oven tray or grill pan. Cut eggplant in half and place face down near peppers. Grill until blackened and soft.

2. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and peel. Discard seeds of eggplant. Chop flesh finely and place in a large bowl.

3. Heat oil in a skillet and sauté onion and garlic for five minutes, or until soft. Add to the veggies in the bowl. In the same skillet, cook meat until just brown, using a potato masher to break up pieces of chopped meat. Add the meat, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and parsley to the veggies in the bowl. Mix well. For a more piquant flavor, add the additional lemon juice at the end, and stir together once more.

4. To assemble: Place an eggroll wrapper on a work surface. Put a generous tablespoon of the meat-veggie mixture in the center and spread out into a thick line. Tightly wrap up spring roll, tucking in ends (blintz style), and place in a large baking pan lined with Gefen Parchment Paper, end side down. Continue until all eggrolls wrappers are filled and wrapped.

5. Halfway through, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle wrappers with olive oil, if desired, before baking. Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown.

Tips:

Eggroll wrappers are easier to work with if they are first preheated in the microwave for a few seconds.

Notes:

Spring rolls can be frozen raw or already baked. These spring rolls can also be deep-fried, if desired.

Make the Dipping Sauce

1. Place all ingredients except for cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for two to three minutes.

2. Add cornstarch slurry to pot and simmer until thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste, if desired.

Notes:

Sauce can be frozen.

To Serve

1. Slice on the diagonal, taking care to have a large piece and a smaller piece. Stand up in a small glass dish (see photo). Serve with the dipping sauce (on the bottom of the serving dish or on the side).