Italian Egg Rolls

I'm a big fan of a good Chinese buffet (more like take-out all the time now because... 2020). I am more of a fan of the sides and appetizers than the main courses. I'm embarrassed to admit the amount of wontons and egg rolls I consume during a meal. While I don't consider myself well-versed in the art of "fusion" cooking, these Italian Egg Rolls bring together an Italian flavored filling inside a crispy egg roll wrapper so well known as a Chinese appetizer. 

 

 

 

Italian Egg Roll Filling

The filling for these Italian Egg Rolls consists of Italian sausage, bell peppers, onion, spinach and cheese. Feel free to use mild or spicy sausage, depending on how hot you like it. Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh, but it needs to be thawed and drained really well to avoid a soggy egg roll. 

To make the filling, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and break into pieces. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Add chopped peppers, onions and spinach and sauté 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender and spinach is wilted.

 

 

It will look like a lot of spinach, but you will be amazed with how much it cooks down! Set meat mixture aside to cool slightly.

 

 

In a large bowl, combine cheeses and garlic powder. Add meat mixture and mix well. 

 

Let's Roll

Time to assemble the Italian Egg Rolls! Lay out the egg roll skins on your countertop. Place 2 tbsp. of filling down the middle of each egg roll skin, leaving 1 inch at the ends.

 

 

With a pastry brush dipped in water, brush around 4 edges. Tuck and roll into log shape. Think burrito. Roll all egg rolls before starting the frying.

 

 

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. You want the oil to be about ½ inch deep. Add egg rolls to the pan turning on all sides until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.

 

 

The egg rolls will not be fully submerged in oil, you just want them heated through, the cheese to melt and the egg roll skin to turn golden brown. Place on plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat until all egg rolls are fried.

Serve with spaghetti sauce for dipping. These Italian Egg Rolls freeze great once cooked. If you have extras, cool them down completely and put them into a freezer bag. When you are ready for a quick snack or lunch, remove from freezer and microwave 60-90 seconds until reheated.