2 large Italian eggplants, unpeeled
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
For the mushroom filling
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 oz Baby Bella or white mushrooms
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
For the ricotta or tofu filling (vegetarian and vegan options)
12 oz firm tofu patted dry OR 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, you may use whole milk or part-skim
6 tbsp store-bought or homemade pesto. Homemade is best!
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
Assembling the rollatini
2 cups marinara sauce
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (dairy or vegan)
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INSTRUCTIONS
1.Preheat the oven to 400F, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
2.Cut both ends of the eggplant and stand it on a cutting board. Carefully slice it vertically into ¼” slices. Brush them with olive oil on both sides and season with salt
3.Arrange the eggplant slices on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Don’t turn off the oven, but reduce the temperature to 375F
4.While the eggplant is baking, place the mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until they’re chopped small
5.Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until all the water the mushrooms release has cooked out
6.While the mushrooms cook, mix ricotta cheese with pesto, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl and set aside. If using tofu instead of ricotta cheese pulse the tofu, pesto, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in the food processor until smooth. Transfer it to a large bowl and set it aside
7.Add the cooked mushrooms to the ricotta or tofu, and mix until combined
8.Once the eggplant is cooked and is cool enough to handle, spread 3 tablespoons of the mushroom ricotta or tofu filling on each slice and roll it carefully
9.Pour 2 cups of prepared or homemade marinara sauce into a baking dish or cast iron pan. Arrange the eggplant rolls on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes