Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Eggplant:
  • 2 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
  • Grapeseed oil cooking spray

Sauce:
  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
  • 3 large shallots, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • Juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 Tbsp. dried thyme
  • 2 tsp. curry powder
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Cannoli Filling:
  • 1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage (removed from the casing and cooked)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups kale, stems removed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup smoked, sun-dried tomatoes
  • 8 ounces smoked Gouda
  • 8 ounces ricotta cheese

Directions
Make the sauce: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic until soft. Reduce heat and continue cooking until golden. Add tomatoes, orange juice, thyme, salt, pepper and curry. Bring sauce to a boil then lower heat and simmer uncovered until sauce has thickened. Adjust seasonings, remove from the heat and let cool.

Make the eggplant: Preheat oven to 400°. Liberally spray a baking sheet with oil. Place slices of the eggplant on the baking sheet without overlapping. Generously oil the slices, flip and oil the other side. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 10 minutes, then flip each of the slices over. Continue baking until the slices start to turn golden brown.

While the eggplant slices bake, sauté the chopped kale with the garlic in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat until wilted.

Remove eggplant from the oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Combine all of the ricotta, half of the Gouda, the kale, sun-dried tomatoes and sausage in a large bowl, and mix until everything is evenly distributed. Adjust seasonings. Spoon half of the sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto the cut end of an eggplant, and roll it up. Place the cannoli in the baking dish, and repeat until all the eggplant has been used. Top the rolls with more of the sauce and the remaining Gouda. Place the cannoli in the oven. Cook until heated through, and cheese is melted.



From Eating Well to Win: Inspired Living Through Inspired Cooking (Mango) by Richard Ingraham.

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