Ricotta-Sausage Stuffed Eggplant Rolatini
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Weekend Meals
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 large eggplants (about 1.5 lbs each)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tofurky Spinach Pesto Sausage, grated
  • 8 ounces whole milk fresh ricotta cheese
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzerella, grated (divided use)
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (divided use)
  • ¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves (divided use)
  • ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley (divided use)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Quart of homemade marinara sauce, fresh or frozen (or jarred, if you must!)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper generously with vegetable spray.
  2. Slice the top and bottom of each eggplant. Cut a thin piece off each side so that when you slice the eggplant lengthwise into ½ inch thick slices, each slice will lie flat on your prepared baking sheet. Baste each side of the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt and pepper. Pop them into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, turning the slices over about half-way through the cooking time.
  3. While the eggplant is baking, grate your Tofurky sausage with a box grater, and stir into the ricotta. Add about 2 ounces of the mozzerella, ½ of the grated parmesan, all but one tablespoon of the basil and parsley, and all of the lemon juice. Taste, and judiciously season with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Heat up your marinara sauce in a large oven-proof skillet.
  5. Once your eggplant slices are cooked, let them cool for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, start with the widest end of the eggplant slice facing you, and put about 2-3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on the bottom third of each slice, and then gently roll up the eggplant. Place each bundle seam side down in the heated tomato sauce. Now, you can either put the skillet in the oven to heat through for 5-10 minutes and eat your eggplant without added cheese and be virtuous - or you can be an unrepetent cheese-head (like me), and add the remaining mozzerella and parmesan before you pop the skillet back in the oven. Either way, sprinkle on the remaining basil and parsley when it emerges from the oven, and serve.
Notes
© 2018 Nancy Olah
All Rights Reserved.
Recipe by Fool a Carnivore at https://foolacarnivore.com/ricotta-sausage-stuffed-eggplant-rolatini/