Slice the eggplant lengthwise into ¼-inch slices.  Place the slices in a colander and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Kosher salt.  Place the colander over a bowl.  Set aside to allow the eggplant to ‘drain’ for 30 minutes.

Make the sauce. 

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering – about 5 minutes.  Add the onions and garlic. 

Saute, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.  Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and stir to coat with oil.

Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes and stir well.  Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the torn basil  Stir well.  Cover and set aside.

For the involtini:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and the egg until well combined and smooth.  Set aside.

Rinse the eggplant under cold water.  Drain well and lay the eggplant on paper towels to dry completely.

In a large zip-top bag, combine the flour, salt, white pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Shake to combine.

Place the beaten egg into a shallow dish.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm a few tablespoons of olive oil.

Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour and then in the egg.

Fry the eggplant in batches until golden brown on both sides – about 2 minutes per side.

Add more oil as needed.

Drain the cooked eggplant on paper towels.  Allow the eggplant to cool.

Spoon about a cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cheese filling onto the thicker end of the eggplant slice and roll it, encasing the filling in the eggplant.

Place the eggplant, seam side down, onto the marinara sauce in the casserole dish.

Repeat with the remaining eggplant and cheese filling.

Spoon additional marinara sauce over the top of each involtini.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until th eggplant is very tender and just starting to turn golden brown at the edges.

Uncover the dish and bake another 10 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy warm.