Recipe: Pastitio Rolls (using Italian sausage, lasagna noodles and eggplant or zucchini)

PASTITIO ROLLS

16 lasagna noodles
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups peeled and chopped eggplant (or zucchini*)
1/4 cup margarine or butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salt water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cook sausage and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender; drain off fat. Set aside.

In covered sauce pan, cook eggplant (or zucchini) in small amount of boiling salted water for 5 minutes; drain.

To make the sauce, melt butter and stir in flour, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add milk and parsley. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Combine ricotta, eggplant, sausage mixture and 1 cup of sauce. Spread each strip of pasta with 1/2 cup of the eggplant mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style. Place seam side down in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Spoon remaining sauce over rolls; sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil; bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes or until heated through.

*I substitute zucchini for the eggplant.

Makes 4 servings