Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach - Vegetarian

Rollatini is an Italian-style dish that is usually made with thin slices of eggplant, which are dusted in wheat flour or lightly breaded and covered with ricotta and often other cheeses and seasonings, then rolled up and baked ( taken from wiki).

This is a one dish meal and filling, we had this as our dinner with garlic bread.

Sending this to this month's BM week 3 - Do Eggplant Dishes.
The eggplant is sliced so thin (I used the V slicer for even thickness of slices)

Ingredients

2 Long Black Brinjals -  sliced lenthwise
1/2 Teaspoon  salt 

1/2 Teaspoons Fresh black pepper
1 1/2 cups  Marinara sauce - homemade
1/2 Cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 Cup  Cheeza Cheese - grated
1 Cup Blanched Spinach
1/2  Garlic  -  minced
1/3  Cup Mozzarella cheese - grated

1 Tablespoons Fresh Bread crumbs

1/2 Teaspoon each Oregano and Rosemary herb

Method
Cut the eggplants lengthwise, into 1/4-inch thick slices .  I used the V slicer on the thick sides to get even slices. 

Sprinkle little salt to remove excess moisture and bitterness from the eggplants. Set aside for about 10 minutes. Pat dry with a towel.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Season the eggplant with a little pepper, then grease a frying pan and arrange eggplant is just tender for a minute on each side only. Then place the eggplants on a a absorbent paper towel to remove any oil. I used this method.

OR in the oven - arrange the slices on a greased baking tray for about 4 minutes on each side.

Mix the ricotta cheese, pepper to taste, garlic and spinach together and keep aside.

Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a greased baking dish. 

Dividing the ricotta-spinach mixture according to the slices of eggplant  (about a tablespoon each). 

Spoon onto one end of each eggplant slice, spreading to cover. 

Starting at the end, roll up slices and arrange them each seam side down in the prepared dish. 

Top with remaining marinara sauce and  grated cheeza. 

 mozzarella cheese and  again spinkle bread crumbs on top with  oregano and rosemary , tightly cover with foil.

Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving. Devour the yummy rollatini

My Notes :

You must have  noticed that I have not added salt in the mixture, cause spinach has enough salt and even the ricotta cheese has some quantity of salt.  If you wish add salt but taste it then add.



Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 57

Labels : Brinjal, Continental Cuisine, Italy, Cheese, Baked, Vegetarian, Blogging Marathon, Marinara Sauce