Lighter Eggplant Rollatini

I love to play around with recipes for eggplant that don’t involve breaded and deep fried slices layered with cheese. Not that classic eggplant parmesan isn’t absolutely delicious, it’s just way too loaded with calories for me to enjoy without feeling completely guilty afterward. The problem with eggplant is that it is basically a sponge for whatever liquid you submerge it in. When deep-fried, slices become oil soaked on the inside and crispy on the outside – again, absolutely delicious but way too high in calories to enjoy on a weeknight. When eggplant is submerged in just about any other liquid, it tends to lose its structure and breakdown into a gooey mush. One way I’ve learned to try to combat this problem is to roast slices of eggplant on a baking sheet before incorporating them into a dish.

My Lighter Eggplant Rollatini showcases this method perfectly. It’s a great weeknight meal to make when you’re craving comfort food but can’t afford the extra calories. This recipe is hearty enough to stand on it’s own for a meal, or pairs perfectly with some whole-wheat pasta on the side.

LIGHTER EGGPLANT ROLLATINI
makes 4 servings

olive oil spray
2 large eggplants
coarse kosher salt
½ pound fresh spinach, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 10-ounce can cannellini or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
freshly ground black pepper
grated parmesan cheese
tomato sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Spray two foil or parchment lined baking sheets with olive oil spray. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, into ½ inch slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets. Spray the slice with a bit more olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices once after 15 minutes.

While the eggplant is baking prepare the filling. Place the spinach in a glass bowl, cover (I use a dinner plate as a lid), and microwave for 5 minutes until spinach is wilted. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt.

In a food processor combine the beans, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and fresh ground pepper. Pulse until smooth adding a couple tablespoons of water if necessary to form a thick puree.

Remove the eggplant slices from the oven. To assemble the rolls spread a bit of the bean puree on one half of each slice. Top the bean spread with some spinach and a sprinkle of parmesan. Starting from the end with the filling, roll up tightly.

Spoon half of the tomato sauce into a shallow baking dish. Place the rolls into the dish seam side down. Top with the remaining sauce. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Sprinkle on a bit more parmesan before serving. Enjoy!

SIMPLE LIGHT TOMATO SAUCE

olive oil spray
1 onion, finely chopped
coarse kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
fresh ground black pepper
¼ chopped fresh parsley

Spray a medium saucepan with olive oil. Sauté the onion with ½ teaspoon of salt over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes and black pepper, stir well and cover. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.