Eggplant Parmesan Rolls

A quick, easy and almost-meatless meal. Use your grill as the oven!

Ingredients:

· 2 eggplants, sliced thinly lengthwise

· Olive oil

· 1 tub ricotta cheese

· 3 tbsp chopped parsley

· 2 tbsp prepared pesto

· 1 egg

· 1 cup shredded cheese- we used ½ mozzarella and ½ sharp white cheddar

· 2 links Italian sausage, sliced or crumbled

· Salt & pepper

· A jar of prepared tomato sauce

Directions:

· Begin by washing and thinly slicing the eggplants into planks.

· Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy cast iron pan over medium heat. Briefly cook each piece of eggplant until browned and lightly softened on both sides. Alternately, you can egg wash and breadcrumb coat the eggplant, and fry until cooked.

· Combine ricotta, parsley, prepared pesto, egg, shredded cheese and sausage in a bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. 

· Coat the bottom of a grill/oven-proof pan with a drizzle of olive oil and about 1 cup of prepared tomato sauce. 

· Place about 2 tbsp of ricotta mixture on each prepared eggplant plank. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared pan. Repeat until you’ve used up all the eggplant pieces. 

· Top with additional tomato sauce and a bit more shredded cheese.

· Cook in your grill or oven at 375* for 30-45 minutes, until cooked through and bubbly. Serve with al dente pasta and a salad.