This decadent, cheesy Italian comfort dish is my favorite way to enjoy eggplant and now that the weather is getting cooler, a great excuse to turn on your oven. Thin slices of eggplant are baked, then stuffed with ricotta, parmesan and spinach and baked with my homemade marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Folks, this dish is restaurant quality (without the frying and extra fat you'd get in a restaurant).
If you're thinking your not a fan of eggplant, I know this recipe will change your mind. The eggplant is sliced so thin (I used my mandolin for perfect even slices) that it literally melts in your mouth once it's baked. A serving is super generous, you'll be stuffed for under 250 calories. And it's meatless, so you can save this for meatless Mondays (but honestly I can eat this every day).
In the past I've sliced my eggplant a little thicker, but trust me, it's just not the same. I prefer to use two medium eggplants so my slices all come out even in size (can you say OCD?) and I save the odd-sized pieces for another recipe (chop it up and simmer it in marinara for a delicious Eggplant and Tomato Sauce). But if you prefer to use one large one and don't mind all your rolls coming out different sizes, go for it. This recipe is a little more time consuming, so save this for the weekend when you can play some music and sip some wine while you cook… Bon Appetit!
Best Skinny Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Size: 2 rollatini • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 227 • Fat: 10 g • Carb: 18 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 17 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 370 mg (without salt) • Cholesterol: 66 g
Ingredients:
- 2 medium Italian eggplants, cut lengthwise into 10 (1/4-inch thick) slices (21 oz total when sliced)
- kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups quick marinara sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- 8 oz frozen spinach, heated through and squeezed well
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella (Polly-O)
Directions:
Cut the 2 ends off the eggplants. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, into 1/4-inch thick slices until you have a total of 10 slices about the same size. It's easiest to do this with a mandolin.
Sprinkle the eggplant with kosher salt to help remove excess moisture and bitterness from the eggplants. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pat dry with a towel.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Season the eggplant with a little more salt and pepper, then arrange on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover tightly with foil and bake until eggplant is tender and pliable but NOT fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg then mix together with ricotta, Pecorino Romano, spinach, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
Pat eggplant dry with paper towels. Dividing the ricotta-spinach mixture (about 2 generous tablespoons each) evenly and spoon onto one end of each eggplant slice, spreading to cover. Starting at the short end, roll up slices and arrange them each seam side down in the prepared dish. Top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and tightly cover with foil.
Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving with additional Pecorino Romano if desired.
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