brahmacharya
02-07-05, 04:50 PM
Roasted Red Pepper and Olive Lasagna
By:
Category: Main Dishes - Pasta
This recipe is suitable for a: vegetarian/vegan diet.
Ingredients:
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1 medium shallot, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
olive oil
2 cans whole plum tomatoes
1 can [or equivalent] black or Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
dried red chillies
dried basil
dried oregano
dried thyme
sea salt
black pepper
12 red peppers, roasted and peeled
1 package soft tofu
1/8 tsp vegan bouillion
vegan egg replacer
1 small jar surfine capers, drained
fresh rosemary and thyme, washed and chopped
3 cups durum semolina flour and sparkling water, if you have a pasta maker OR
1 box dry lasagna noodles [Oven ready ones tend to go a bit "gluey" so I would cook the dry ones in advance if possible]
1 package "mozzarella" flavoured vegan cheese substitute
Instructions:
-----------------------------------------------------
SAUCE
In a large saucepan, heat 1/4" cup olive oil and salt and pepper on medium high heat. Saute the shallot until tranlucent. Add 3/4 of the finely chopped garlic and saute for about a minute. Add the canned tomatoes, about 1 tsp dried chillies or to taste, and 1/2 tbsp. each of the dried herbs. Mash the tomatoes with the flat of a wooden spoon. Let the sauce heat through then reduce the heat, add the chopped olives, and simmer, uncovered, for at least an hour [the longer the better!]. When it has simmered to your satisfaction, turn off the heat and let it rest. If you like a chunkier sauce you can just leave it at this stage, or mash it with a potato masher; I like to take my handblender and blend up some of the larger chunks for a "marinara" consistency.
CAPER AND HERB "BECHAMEL"
Either in a bowl with a handblender or in a blender, add half the remaning garlic, sea salt, black pepper, chopped fresh herbs, soft tofu, egg replacer and boullion and blend 'er up. This does not taste great right out of the gate but in the lasagna it does its job. When it is blended well, throw in the whole jar of surfine capers, stir, and put in the fridge. It doesn't need to "set" or anything.
NOODLES
If you have a pasta maker then you probably already know the drill. To half of your semolina flour add sparkling water to a "well" in the centre and work it in with a fork until you have a dough. Then run it through the pasta maker, adding semolina as you go, decreasing the size each time, until you have nice thin dry sheets. This is definitely time consuming but I think the taste is worth it. You don't need to cook these fresh noodles, either. If you DON'T have a pasta maker, prepare your box of lasagna noodles according to the package directions and leave in cold water until you are ready to assemble it.
You can roast the peppers in advance, and peel off their black skins and then leave them in a Tupperware with the remaining chopped garlic and some fresh herbs if desired.
Grate the cheese substitute. Set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE:
Preheat the oven to 400. Get a traditional lasagna pan. Put about 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom, then a layer of noodles. You can cut them to fit. Add your peeled roasted peppers and a sprinkling of cheese substitute, then a layer of noodles. Another layer of sauce, another layer of noodles. Then spread the herb/caper "bechamel" to make another layer, then another layer of noodles, then top it off with the remaining sauce and grated cheese substitute. Grate some fresh black pepper over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and broil until the grated "cheese" melts.
Additional comments:
-----------------------------------------------------
This is a big fancy "showoff" recipe that is worth the time it takes to make. My omni b/f said he would not have known this was vegan! Will keep well in the fridge and feed you for days. "Vegan Gourmet" makes an excellent cheese substitute.
For a printable version of this recipe click the post # in the upper right hand corner.
You can rate this recipe using the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner.
By:
Category: Main Dishes - Pasta
This recipe is suitable for a: vegetarian/vegan diet.
Ingredients:
-----------------------------------------------------
1 medium shallot, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
olive oil
2 cans whole plum tomatoes
1 can [or equivalent] black or Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
dried red chillies
dried basil
dried oregano
dried thyme
sea salt
black pepper
12 red peppers, roasted and peeled
1 package soft tofu
1/8 tsp vegan bouillion
vegan egg replacer
1 small jar surfine capers, drained
fresh rosemary and thyme, washed and chopped
3 cups durum semolina flour and sparkling water, if you have a pasta maker OR
1 box dry lasagna noodles [Oven ready ones tend to go a bit "gluey" so I would cook the dry ones in advance if possible]
1 package "mozzarella" flavoured vegan cheese substitute
Instructions:
-----------------------------------------------------
SAUCE
In a large saucepan, heat 1/4" cup olive oil and salt and pepper on medium high heat. Saute the shallot until tranlucent. Add 3/4 of the finely chopped garlic and saute for about a minute. Add the canned tomatoes, about 1 tsp dried chillies or to taste, and 1/2 tbsp. each of the dried herbs. Mash the tomatoes with the flat of a wooden spoon. Let the sauce heat through then reduce the heat, add the chopped olives, and simmer, uncovered, for at least an hour [the longer the better!]. When it has simmered to your satisfaction, turn off the heat and let it rest. If you like a chunkier sauce you can just leave it at this stage, or mash it with a potato masher; I like to take my handblender and blend up some of the larger chunks for a "marinara" consistency.
CAPER AND HERB "BECHAMEL"
Either in a bowl with a handblender or in a blender, add half the remaning garlic, sea salt, black pepper, chopped fresh herbs, soft tofu, egg replacer and boullion and blend 'er up. This does not taste great right out of the gate but in the lasagna it does its job. When it is blended well, throw in the whole jar of surfine capers, stir, and put in the fridge. It doesn't need to "set" or anything.
NOODLES
If you have a pasta maker then you probably already know the drill. To half of your semolina flour add sparkling water to a "well" in the centre and work it in with a fork until you have a dough. Then run it through the pasta maker, adding semolina as you go, decreasing the size each time, until you have nice thin dry sheets. This is definitely time consuming but I think the taste is worth it. You don't need to cook these fresh noodles, either. If you DON'T have a pasta maker, prepare your box of lasagna noodles according to the package directions and leave in cold water until you are ready to assemble it.
You can roast the peppers in advance, and peel off their black skins and then leave them in a Tupperware with the remaining chopped garlic and some fresh herbs if desired.
Grate the cheese substitute. Set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE:
Preheat the oven to 400. Get a traditional lasagna pan. Put about 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom, then a layer of noodles. You can cut them to fit. Add your peeled roasted peppers and a sprinkling of cheese substitute, then a layer of noodles. Another layer of sauce, another layer of noodles. Then spread the herb/caper "bechamel" to make another layer, then another layer of noodles, then top it off with the remaining sauce and grated cheese substitute. Grate some fresh black pepper over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and broil until the grated "cheese" melts.
Additional comments:
-----------------------------------------------------
This is a big fancy "showoff" recipe that is worth the time it takes to make. My omni b/f said he would not have known this was vegan! Will keep well in the fridge and feed you for days. "Vegan Gourmet" makes an excellent cheese substitute.
For a printable version of this recipe click the post # in the upper right hand corner.
You can rate this recipe using the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner.