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Baked Eggplant Rollatini (like Manicotti




Source of Recipe


Link Below


Recipe Introduction


Level 1 ~ Pro/Fat ~ Author's quote: My family loves to grow eggplants in our garden, but alas, they are not as much in love with eating the finished product. This recipe has made eggplant lovers of all of us.

Deb's note: My tweaks are in (..)



Recipe Link: http://www.kitchengifts.com/eggplantrollatini.html

List of Ingredients




1 large eggplant halved the long way and cut into thin, 1/8 inch slices
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (* substitute grated (dry) Parmesan, with Italian spices added)
1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk if you can find it)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1/2 cup grated Monterey jack cheese plus 1/4 cup for topping
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese -- optional -- I used it more for color than anything else, plus 1/4 cup for topping
1 tablespoon chopped oregano (I use 1 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 cups tomato sauce, canned or use Michael's Tomato Sauce (recipe on her site)
pinch of sugar (use legal sweetener of choice)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste



Recipe



Wash the eggplant. Cut off the top and cut the eggplant in half the long way. Leave the skin on.

Use a very sharp knife or a mandolin -- very handy here -- to cut the eggplant into 1/8" slices. Salt the slices and lay them on a strainer for 20 to 30 minutes. Pat them dry with paper towels. Then dip in beaten eggs and then seasoned bread crumbs (use Parmesan cheese for the bread crumbs - Deb). Lay them on parchment paper or waxed paper as you coat each one.

Lightly oil a jelly roll pan or line it with parchment paper. Put slices of coated eggplant on pan and broil until brown, turn over and brown the other side. They take about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Lay browned slides on wax or parchment paper. Mix cheeses, oregano and salt to taste in a bowl. Put a large spoonful of the cheese mixture on the edge of each eggplant slice and roll them up, seam side down.

If you're using canned tomato sauce, saute garlic in olive oil, add sauce and pinch of sugar. If you're using homemade sauce, you're good to go.
Spoon sauce into the bottom of baking pan. Lay eggplant on top of sauce. Top with the rest of sauce. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble. Mix cheese for topping and put on top. Return to oven until cheese melts. Enjoy!
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* Deb's notes: I made this for the first time a couple weeks ago, and we both loved it! Next time though, I am going to use 3 eggplants (I used 2 the first time) as we like less filling in each, and more eggplant rolls.

I peel the eggplants. I skip the whole salting and straining them. I peel, slice and go right to the breading part.

I used 1 quart of Classico Tomato & Basil Sauce. I used 2 cups of ricotta cheese. Next time I'm going to add 1 (10 ounce) box of frozen spinach - thawed and using my potato ricer, all the water squeezed out of it.

We enjoyed the cheese in here. It was a nice change from using the typical mozzarella cheese.