Eggplant Rollatini with Ground Turkey, Spinach & Three Cheeses!

You know when you have this crazy, insatiable craving for cheese but want something different? Well, this is it. It’s delicious eggplant first roasted then rolled with three different cheeses ,fresh baby spinach (for muscle strong iron) and ground turkey , (for some healthy protein)sitting in a delicate tomato sauce and topped with some more mozzarella and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese that melts and bubbles. Mmmmm, is your mouth watering yet?

This meal is a nice treat to prepare for a dinner party because it not only makes a pretty presentation but tastes amazing! Also, a great way to get the “non-vegetable” eater in your family to get more veggies in.

You may also prep this the night before and just pop it in the oven before your guests arrive or when you come home from work. A meal in 20 minutes, not bad. Serve it with a salad (more vegetables), a red glass of wine and it’s a beautiful meal everyone will love. Enjoy!

Eggplant Rollatini filled with Ground Turkey, Spinach & Three Cheeses

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 whole eggplant, sliced lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick
3 + 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound ground turkey
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
8-10 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese ; 4 ounces shredded and the rest sliced
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach, torn into small pieces
2-3 cups prepared tomato sauce
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the eggplant with the olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping eggplants halfway through roasting.

While the eggplant is roasting, prepare the turkey and filling.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and add in the ground turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until no longer pink, making sure to break up the meat as it cooks. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the 1 cup ricotta, 4 ounces shredded mozzarella, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 egg white salt and pepper, oregano and spinach and mix well.

When the eggplant is finished roasting, remove and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Make sure to leave the oven on set at 400 degrees.

Take each piece of eggplant and spread out about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto each piece. Then spread about 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture on top of the cheese mixture. Carefully roll up the eggplants and place seam side down into a 9 x 11 inch casserole dish that has about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce spread out on the bottom. Nestle the eggplants in the casserole. When the pan is filled, put some sauce on the top of the eggplant. Sprinkle some more grated cheese on top. place the sliced mozzarella slices on top.

Place in the 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with some additional grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with the fresh basil. May serve with a salad.