This is a more complicated recipe than I usually post, but it is worth the effort. It actually gives you four recipes in one. I suggest making part of the sub-recipes a day ahead. Just make Bryanna’s Béchamel* sauce and assemble the lasagna on the day you bake it. That way it is far less work intensive. This recipe can be made wheat free by using rice lasagna noodles.
You could also use the lasagna filling for manicotti or jumbo pasta shells: stuff the uncooked manicotti noodles with the lasagna filling place in a baking dish with about one inch of spaghetti sauce on the bottom, generously cover with more spaghetti sauce and then top with the Béchamel sauce. Bake covered, according to the time and temperature given on the manicoti noodle box.
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Knock-Your-Socks-Off Green Lasagna Ingredients:
16 uncooked lasagna noodles (regular, spinach, whole-wheat, or wheat-free)
about 2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped fine (this can be done in a food processor)
1 recipe tofu ricotta (recipe below)
1 cup pesto, prepared OR homemade (recipe below)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (divided) soy parmesan OR homemade faux parmesan (recipe below)
? cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
2 recipes worth of homemade béchamel (recipe below)
Instructions:
Prepare tofu ricotta and, if using, homemade pesto, faux parmesan, and béchamel. Set aside.
Boil your lasagna noodles until they are a little firmer than al dente.
You MUST boil the noodles—there is not enough liquid in this recipe to leave them uncooked. Drain and lay flat on a counter, table or tray.
While the noodles are boiling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9x13 inch casserole dish or lasagna pan.
Mix the spinach, tofu ricotta, pesto, minced garlic, salt, ½ cup of the parmesan, and the walnuts in a large bowl.
Reserve ¾ cup of the béchamel for the topping.
Place 4 noodles in the bottom of the pan. Spoon 1/3 of the filling onto the noodles, pressing and spreading carefully. Cover with 1/3 béchamel sauce. Repeat with another layer of noodles, 1/3 of the filling, and 1/3 of the béchamel sauce. Repeat one more time and finish with a layer of noodles.
Thin the reserved béchamel with a little water. Pour over the top layer of noodles and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup parmesan over the béchamel.
Cover with a layer of foil, place in oven, and let cook 30 minutes. Then remove foil and let bake for an additional 15 minutes to brown.
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Tofu Ricotta:
2 pound firm water-packed tofu, drained and rinsed, and patted dry
the juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small ones
2 teaspoons maple syrup
¾ teaspoons salt (I always just put in as much as I like, so maybe start with ½ and salt it till you like it)
1-1.5 tablespoons of your favorite vegan mayonnaise (low-fat is fine)
Mash the tofu with a potato masher or fork until it’s in little curds. Add the maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well.
With an immersion blender, blend the tofu until semi-creamy—you still want grainy, tiny tiny curds. If you do not have an immersion blender, pulse in small batches in a regular blender until it reaches the semi-creamy, still-grainy stage.
Mix in the mayonnaise. Use measure for measure in any recipe calling for ricotta.
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Pesto:
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup soy parmesan or homemade vegan parmesan (recipe below)
Salt to taste
Process basil and garlic in a food processor or blender until well mixed. Add nuts and process until nuts are finely ground. Drizzle in oil and process to a smooth paste.
Stir in parmesan and add salt to taste. Use immediately or cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil and store in tightly covered container.
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Faux Parmesan:
2/3 cup cashews, blanched almonds, or sesame seeds
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon light soy or chickpea miso
Add ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground and the ingredients are well mixed.
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Bryanna’s Béchamel Sauce:
2 T. good dairy-free margarine (or extra-virgin olive oil)
3 T. unbleached flour
Blended Mixture:
1 c. soy milk
1/2 c. extra-firm SILKEN tofu or medium-firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 c. water
1 "chicken-style" vegetarian broth cube (or 1/2 of one meant for 2 c. liquid), crumbled
1/2 tsp. salt
a large pinch EACH of freshly-grated nutmeg and white pepper
Place all of the Blended Mixture ingredients, EXCEPT the nutmeg and pepper, in the blender and blend until VERY smooth. Set aside.
Melt the margarine in a medium, heavy saucepan and whisk in the flour. Whisk it over medium-high heat for a few minutes, but remove from heat before it starts to change color (you want a white "roux"). Scrape this into the Blended Mixture and blend for a few seconds, then pour the mixture back into the pot. Stir over medium-high heat until it thickens and boils; turn down and simmer on low for a few minutes until very thick. Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.
MICROWAVE OPTION: Melt the margarine in a large microwave-safe bowl or 1 qt. Pyrex measuring beaker on Hi for 45 seconds. Whisk in the flour and microwave on HI 2 minutes. Scrape this into the Blended Mixture and blend briefly, then pour it back into the bowl or beaker, or pour in the Blended mixture and mix with a hand immersion blender until smooth. Microwave on HI for 2 minutes. Whisk. Microwave for 2 more minutes. Whisk. Microwave for 2 minutes more. Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.
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Additional comments from the person who posted this at
www.veggieboards.com :
This recipe is a showstopper. Simply incredible. Make this for company. It takes some time and effort, but it's totally worth it and you'll wow your guests.
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*Note: This recipe comes from Bryanna Clark Grogan. She has written a number of cook books and has a food blog with more of her recipes:
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/
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Topic: Knock-Your-Socks-Off Green Lasagna (Read 4898 times)
