Baked Eggplant With Spinach And Ricotta

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.

2. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with a little salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes to release excess moisture.

3. While the eggplant is resting, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for a minute until fragrant.

4. Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, dried oregano, and the cooked spinach mixture. Stir well to combine all ingredients.

6. Pat dry the eggplant slices with paper towels to remove the excess salt and moisture.

7. Take each eggplant slice and spread a generous amount of the ricotta-spinach mixture on top. Roll up the eggplant slice and place it seam side down into the prepared baking dish.

8. Repeat this process with the rest of the eggplant slices until all are filled and rolled.

9. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the rolled eggplant and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the eggplant is tender.

11. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

12. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.