That's Amore

So, it was Tuesday evening and Ian and I had just gotten home from work.  There was an eggplant sitting in our refrigerator that was screaming to be used ASAP. (I had already thrown out the first one I bought because it went bad.)  You see, I had a recipe for Eggplant Rollatini sitting out on the kitchen counter for over a week and, although I couldn't wait to try it and hopefully wow my mouth and my husband's, I had to keep putting it on hold.  On Tuesday, I promised myself that I would not throw out another eggplant and so I was determined to somehow get at least part of this (somewhat complicated) dish made in the 45 minutes I had before heading to ballet class.  I started flying around the kitchen getting things prepared and thinking that it was almost certain that Ian would have to take over and execute this bad boy.  I found myself suggesting that maybe I should skip ballet so that I could stay home and finish dinner.  It's not that Ian can't cook...he follows recipes quite well...but sometimes too well.  He wants to be sure he's getting it exactly right and can become somewhat distressed with all of the perfectionism.  I didn't want him to have to go through all of that alone while I was away doing plies.  I realized that I was making myself seem much more important and essential to this whole process than I really was and I left it all in the hands of my husband.  When I returned home, dinner was made and the table was set and we had the most delicious meal.  He's the best. I'm controlling. 
I thought I would pass along the recipe.  It came from Cardona's Market, my very favorite Italian market in Albany.  I've given it to you just as Cardona's composed it.  We made a couple of revisions to the recipe and I've included those in italics.  Be prepared to get hungry....

Cardona's Market Eggplant Rollatini
(serves 4)

Ingredients:
For the eggplant:
1 medium/large eggplant (peeled and sliced lengthwise)
2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
3 large eggs
oil for frying (preferably 10% blended oil) * we used vegetable oil
For the filling:
1/2 cup onions diced
1 Tablespoon garlic crushed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup bulk sausage meat *we omitted the sausage
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 pound ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped spinach *we used frozen spinach and microwaved it according to package directions
1/4 cup white wine
Additional:
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Take the slices of eggplant and dip them in the egg batter and then the bread crumbs. 
2. In a frying pan, heat 3-4 Tbsp of oil and fry the slices of eggplant.  Drain on paper towel.  Set aside.
3. In a separate frying pan, heat butter with a Tbsp of olive oil.  Add the onions and saute until clear.
4. To the same frying pan, add the loose sausage meat and cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the spinach and garlic and stir together.  Add white wine to deglaze pan.
6. In a mixing bowl, pour the contents of the frying pan and add the bread crumbs and ricotta cheese.
7. Take the slices of fried eggplant and lay them flat on the table.
8. Add 1-2 Tbsp worth of filling to the center of the eggplant.
9. Roll the eggplant up.
10. Take a casserole dish and pour a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan.
11. Place the eggplant in the casserole dish and cover with sauce and then top with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Mangia!