Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach and Cheese Filling Recipe
Ingredients
| Tomato Sauce -€“ Sufficient to pour on rollatini | ||
| Spinach -€“ 1 pound, stems discarded | ||
| Onion | 1 Large, finely chopped | |
| Garlic -€“ 2 large cloves, minced | ||
| Olive oil | 5 Tablespoon | |
| Feta cheese | 2 Ounce | |
| Low fat cottage cheese -€“ 1 cup or Skim Ricotta -€“ 1 cup | ||
| Walnuts | 1/8 Cup (16 tbs), finely chopped | |
| Egg whites | 2 | |
| Whole wheat bread crumbs | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Parsley | 2 Tablespoon, minced | |
| Salt | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Black pepper | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Nutmeg -€“ ¼ tsp or Mace -€“ ¼ tsp | ||
| Ground fennel -€“ ½ tsp or Ground cumin -€“ ½ tsp | ||
| Eggplants | 2 | |
| Kalamata olives | 6 , pitted (GARNISH) | |
| Parmesan cheese | 2 Tablespoon, freshly grated (GARNISH) | |
| Fresh parsley -€“ ¼ cup, chopped | ||
Directions
GETTING READY
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
MAKING
2. Place a steamer basket within a pot and fill with water sufficient to touch basket bottom. Add spinach and steam, covered, for 2 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
3. Squeeze excess water from cooled spinach with cheesecloth or just press it down the colander gently.
4. In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and sauté onions and garlic to soft. Mix in cooked spinach along with cheeses, egg whites, walnuts, spices, parsley, and breadcrumbs.
5. Using a wooden spoon, blend all the ingredients thoroughly by stirring constantly.
6. Broil thinly lengthwise sliced eggplants, brushed with olive oil, on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 3 minutes or until the top turns slightly brown.
7. Take out of the oven, and allow them to steam and then cool, by covering them with a plastic wrap.
8. Add 2 to 3 tablespoon filling to the narrow end of cooled eggplant slices, roll up, and arrange in the baking dish with seam side down.
9. Pour tomato sauce over each roll and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce starts bubbling.
SERVING
10. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese atop Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach and Cheese Filling, garnish with olive slices and parsley, and serve immediately.
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
MAKING
2. Place a steamer basket within a pot and fill with water sufficient to touch basket bottom. Add spinach and steam, covered, for 2 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
3. Squeeze excess water from cooled spinach with cheesecloth or just press it down the colander gently.
4. In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and sauté onions and garlic to soft. Mix in cooked spinach along with cheeses, egg whites, walnuts, spices, parsley, and breadcrumbs.
5. Using a wooden spoon, blend all the ingredients thoroughly by stirring constantly.
6. Broil thinly lengthwise sliced eggplants, brushed with olive oil, on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 3 minutes or until the top turns slightly brown.
7. Take out of the oven, and allow them to steam and then cool, by covering them with a plastic wrap.
8. Add 2 to 3 tablespoon filling to the narrow end of cooled eggplant slices, roll up, and arrange in the baking dish with seam side down.
9. Pour tomato sauce over each roll and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce starts bubbling.
SERVING
10. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese atop Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach and Cheese Filling, garnish with olive slices and parsley, and serve immediately.
Chef
