Description
Italian-inspired skinny eggplant rollatini offers a lighter twist on classic comfort cuisine. Rich ricotta and herbs nestle inside delicate grilled eggplant slices, creating a lean yet satisfying Mediterranean-style dish you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 large eggplants
- 9 ounces (250 g) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove as much liquid as possible
- 1 clove garlic, germ removed and minced
Cheese:
- 1 cup (9 ounces/250 g) reduced fat ricotta
- 1 ½ cups shredded light mozzarella (divided into ½ cup and 1 cup)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan
Seasoning and Sauce:
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup tomato passata or marinara
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 400°F (200°C), ensuring an ideal cooking temperature for the eggplant rollatini.
- Trim the eggplant edges and create delicate lengthwise slices. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil spray and carefully arrange eggplant slices, potentially utilizing multiple sheets depending on oven capacity.
- Roast eggplant slices for 10 minutes, allowing them to soften and develop a slight caramelization, then remove and permit cooling to room temperature.
- Craft the filling by blending ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, egg, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to enhance its flavor profile.
- Distribute a base layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of a large baking dish, creating a flavorful foundation for the rollatini.
- Apply a generous layer of the ricotta-spinach mixture onto each eggplant slice, carefully rolling each piece and positioning them seam-side down in the prepared dish.
- Drizzle the remaining tomato sauce over the rolled eggplant and generously sprinkle the additional mozzarella across the top.
- Shield the dish with aluminum foil, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese transforms into a golden, bubbling crust.
- Allow the rollatini to rest and settle for 10 minutes before serving, enabling the flavors to meld and the dish to reach an ideal serving temperature.
Notes
- Prep efficiently by slicing eggplant uniformly to ensure even cooking and perfect roll-ups.
- Choose fresh, firm eggplants without blemishes for the best texture and flavor in your rollatini.
- Squeeze excess moisture from spinach to prevent watery filling and maintain a rich, creamy consistency.
- Experiment with different cheeses like ricotta alternatives or add herbs for personalized taste variations.
- Allow rollatini to rest after baking, which helps set the filling and makes serving easier without falling apart.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the oven to maintain crispy edges and melted cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg