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 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!
Equipment
- oven
- Baking Sheet
- skillet
- Chefs Knife
- Pastry brush
- 9 x 11 inch casserole dish
- Large bowl
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 whole eggplant sliced lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 0.5 pound ground turkey
- to taste none salt
- to taste none freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese 4 ounces shredded and the rest sliced
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 egg white
- 1/5 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach torn into small pieces
- 2 cups prepared tomato sauce
- to garnish none fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash the outside of the eggplant and pat dry. Slice the eggplant about 1/4 inch thick lengthwise.
- 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, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and add in the ground turkey, seasoned 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 ricotta, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg white, additional salt and pepper, oregano, and spinach, mixing well.
- Once the eggplant has finished roasting, allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Keep the oven set at 400 degrees.
- Take each piece of eggplant and spread out about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto each piece, followed by 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture. Carefully roll up the eggplants and place seam side down in a 9 x 11 inch casserole dish with about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce spread out on the bottom. Nestle the eggplant in the dish. When filled, add sauce on top of the eggplant, and sprinkle with more grated cheese and sliced mozzarella.
- Place in the 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil. May serve with a salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 36gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 638mgPotassium: 384mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2118IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 485mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!