Fody's Low FODMAP Eggplant Rollatini

This low FODMAP lunch or dinner idea features thin slices of cooked eggplant, rolled around a hearty ricotta filling, topped with pasta sauce and hooey, gooey melted mozzarella cheese! Hopefully by now you know that the low FODMAP diet is not dairy-free, but rather it is lower in lactose. If you can find or make your own lactose-free ricotta (we have a recipe!) then by all means use it. If not, then to stay low FODMAP enough for Elimination Phase, you should stick with the small, recommended low FODMAP serving sizes. If you use lactose-free ricotta and/or tolerate lactose well, you can increase your serving size of this recipe. Always eat to your individual tolerance.

Note about buying eggplant: you need a total of 3-pounds (1.4 kg) of eggplant and you do want large, wide globe eggplants. That said, you don’t want just one gargantuan one, which would most likely be seedy and tough. Look for two eggplants, about 1 ½-pounds (680 g) each. By the way, you can use any of the Fody low FODMAP pasta sauces to make this dish. They all work wonderfully!

Position three racks equally spaced in oven. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line three rimmed baking sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside.

Trim away and discard the stem end of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 14, ¼-inch thin slices, top to bottom; you need long pieces to wrap up your filling. Chop the rest of the eggplant into small dice and measure out 200 g. If you have any extra, reserve for another use.

Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay slices out on prepared pans. Roast for about 6 minutes or until tender; carefully slip over and roast for about 6 more minutes or until tender but they should still hold their shape. Cool.

Meanwhile, add remaining oil to a skillet and heat over low-medium heat. Add the chopped scallions and chopped 200 g of eggplant and sauté until eggplant is softened. Cool.

Whisk the eggs well until blended in a mixing bowl. Stir in the ricotta, 2-ounces (55 g) of the mozzarella, about three-quarters of the Parmesan cheese and parsley until everything is well combined. Stir in the cooled sautéed eggplant/scallion mixture.

Pour a tiny bit of low FODMAP pasta sauce into a 9x13-inch (23 cm x 33 cm) baking pan to coat the bottom.

Take one piece of roasted eggplant and place a spoonful of the ricotta filling on the broad end. Roll up, enclosing the filling, and place seam side down in sauce-coated baking pan. Repeat with remaining filling and eggplant pieces until you have the 14 rollatini in your baking dish, nestled together. Evenly pour the remaining pasta sauce over all, then sprinkle with remaining 6-ounces (170 g) of mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until eggplant rollatini is tender and mozzarella is melted. Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve your low FODMAP eggplant rollatini immediately.