Ingredients
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3 large eggplants
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½ teaspoon salt, divided
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3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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2 cups crushed tomatoes
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½ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
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3 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
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1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
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2 ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
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¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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½ teaspoon ground pepper
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1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
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Position racks in the middle and upper third of oven; preheat to 425 degrees F. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
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Slice each eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Discard any small or misshapen pieces. You should have about 24 strips. Sprinkle the strips with 1/4 teaspoon salt and let stand for 15 minutes.
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Pat the eggplant slices dry and brush both sides with oil. Place on the prepared pans, overlapping the slices a little if necessary. Roast until soft and beginning to brown, swapping the pans from top to bottom midway, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
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Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 2 teaspoons garlic and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Spread 1/2 cup of the mixture in a broiler-safe 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Squeeze spinach to remove any excess liquid. Combine the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic in a medium bowl.
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When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, spread a generous tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on each slice. Starting from the narrowest end, roll up the slices and place in the baking pan seam-side down. Top with the remaining tomato mixture.
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Bake the rolls on the middle rack until the tomato mixture is hot and bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
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Top the rolls with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup basil and serve.
