Italian Archives - Page 3 of 4

Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli

December 11, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I lost my pasta maker. You’re probably wondering, how on earth do you lose a twenty-five pound kitchen appliance? Well, if I knew that, it wouldn’t be lost, right? 😉 Somehow, it didn’t make the one mile move to our new house a year ago—and we didn’t use movers; just us. Apparently, the pasta maker in question ran away with my Chantal soup pot because it’s missing as well. Not sure what kitchen conspiracy happened, but I’m hopeful that someday, both (and whatever else was in the box) turns up. So I don’t recommend making ravioli without a pasta maker, otherwise, the process is a lot harder than it needs to be. The taste however, was well-worth the work. There’s nothing like fresh pasta.

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta Dough:
1/3 C nutritional yeast
2 C flour
1 Tbs olive oil
Dash or two of salt
1/2 to 3/4 C water

The rest:
1-1/2 C sliced mushrooms
1-1/2 C chopped spinach
1 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
1 jar marinara sauce

Yummy, gluten-free sauce.
In a food processor with the sharp S blade, pulse the nutritional yeast a few times to make a fine powder. Then switch to the plastic dough/bread blade.

Add the flour and salt and pulse to combine. While the machine is running, add olive oil and water to form an elastic-y dough.

Roll out small pieces of dough at a time into a long rectangle. I used a pizza cutter to slice into squares. Place some spinach, 2-3 mushroom slices and a pinch or two of cheese.

I then folded over one side and pinched the edges.

To seal the edges, I used the pizza cutter to the three sides.

I ended up with 18 pretty ugly raviolis that I placed on floured waxed paper, otherwise, if they sit too long, they will stick to the surface and it would be a terrible mess.

I boiled about 3-4 raviolis at a time, then transferred to an oiled, glass dish. Be sure to turn the ravioli once to cook the tops and bottoms—about 1 minute per side.

Brush the tops with olive oil as well. Ladle sauce over individual servings and top with any remaining vegan mozzarella. Enjoy!

Lasagna Roll-ups

October 25, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is an easy twist on a classic. I’ve seen these done where you place the roll-ups on the side so the cute, frilly side of the noodle faces up, but I could just see things going wrong for me, so if you’re feeling brave, by all means, go for it!

INGREDIENTS:
My go-to tofu ricotta:
1 14-oz firm (or extra firm) tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded

The rest:
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
18 lasagna noodles
3-1/2 C fresh spinach, chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced very thin
10 mushrooms, sliced very thin
8-0z vegan mozzarella, shredded
1 jar marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles for about 7-8 minutes. Make sure you don’t cook them all the way—it’ll be easier to use them if they’re very al dente. Crumble tofu into a food processor. Add nutritional yeast, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Puree well. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 1/2 cup of vegan mozzarella.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and garlic. Add the zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook just another 2-3 minutes.

Put a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of a 15″ baking pan (I forgot to do this, but its no big deal). Use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread about 1-2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on a lasagna noodle. Next, layer on some spinach, zucchini mixture (only about 8-10 pieces) and a little cheese.

Carefully roll up noodle and place in the pan.

Once all 18 noodles (one of mine was broken, so I have 17) pour the rest of the sauce over the rolls and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 3-5 minutes. Enjoy!

Spinach Fettuccine with Creamy Pesto Sauce

September 28, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is such an easy meal to whip up when you have very little time. I typically keep prepared pesto in the freezer for such times and of course, I still I have the huge block of cashew cheese that is conveniently stored in the freezer as well. Done in less than 25 minutes!

INGREDIENTS:
12-14 oz spinach fettuccine, cooked
1-1/2 Tbs cornstarch
2/3 C non dairy milk (not rice milk–too thin)
1/3 + 1 tsp vegetable broth
1/3 C prepared basil pesto
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cashew cheese, shredded (Optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in milk and broth. Add pesto and whisk thoroughly. Return to low to medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. I added the 1 teaspoon of broth here to thin out the sauce just a little. Ladle sauce over individual bowls of pasta and top with cashew cheese. Enjoy!

Kale, Chard and Tofu Calzones

September 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I said I was making calzones tonight, The Husband joked, ‘Oh, yeah, those nine pounders?’ Okay, yes, these calzones typically run a little big. I should call them “No Joke Calzones.” They’re a little different than the other calzone recipe I’ve made by adding the same tofu mixture that I use for lasagna and stuffed shells. I had some leftover tofu mixture so I just threw in the freezer—I’ll use add it to a batch of lasagna at some point. This is also a great recipe for sneaking in some extra veggies, especially for the kids—they’ll never know!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough: (from Vegan Planet)
1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 C warm water ( I found that I needed another 1/2 cup)
2-1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar or natural sweetener
1 Tbs olive oil, plus more for spreading
The Tofu mixture:
1-14 oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil (I also threw in a tablespoon or two of fresh rosemary)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
The rest:
4 C chard and kale, chopped (you can also add in some spinach)
1-3.8 oz can of sliced black olives
6 mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 C vegan mozzarella cheese
1 jar marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
To make dough: Place yeast in a small bowl. Add 1/4 C of the water and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. To make the dough in the food processor (like I did), combine the flour, salt, and sugar, pulsing to blend. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feeding tube, along with the olive oil and as much of the remaining 1/2 water (I needed another 1/3 C in addition to the 1/2 C) as necessary to make the dough hold together. To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 C water until well combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large oiled bowl. Spread a small amount of oil on top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Use immediately or store for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator or for 3-4 weeks in the freezer. Make sure it is tightly wrapped in plastic.

To make tofu mixture: Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese.

Preheat oven to 375. Punch the dough down and divide it into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 1/4″ thick circle. Divide the filling equally between the dough circles, leaving a 1″ border around the edge. I layered on some tofu mixture, greens mix, olives, mushrooms, and cheese.

Fold over one side and roll up the bottom part and press with a fork to seal the edges.

Place on a baking sheet lined with foil that is slightly greased. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the meantime, heat the sauce in a small saucepan. Ladle a scoopful on top of each calzone and add a bit of cheese. Enjoy!

Pasta with “Meat” Sauce

August 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

It really doesn’t get much easier than this, especially when you’re short on time to make dinner. It was my night to host writer’s group, so I needed something quick to whip up. I used Boca Crumbles, but Field Roast makes an Italian “sausage” that I think would work nicely as well.

INGREDIENTS:
14-16oz pasta, cooked
1 jar spaghetti or marinara sauce
1 bag Boca Meatless Crumbles (use as much as you want–depending on how “meaty” you want it)
Vegan mozzarella, shredded
Optional: 6-8 mushrooms, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
I added the frozen Boca Crumbles directing into the pan with the sauce, warming them together. I also added some sliced mushrooms and simmered everything for about 10-15 minutes. Top pasta with the sauce and cheese and you’re done! This is a great combination of carbohydrates and protein and perfect for the night before a hike or activity when you need some extra umph. Even for my morning run, I tend to go further, longer. Never a bad thing. Enjoy!

Spinach and Pesto Lasagna

August 13, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Oh, man. Have you ever made it to vegan food nirvana? Well, this lasagna will take you there. Of course, you’ll have to come back, but you can always go back for seconds. It looked so good as I assembled it, I wanted to eat it right then and there. I used my previous pesto recipe as well as my “ricotta” cheese recipe that I use for the stuffed shells and vegetable lasagna. To make things easier, I made those earlier in the day. I also decided to use regular lasagna noodles instead of the no-boil variety, and I was a little weary, but not only were they easy to use, we preferred them over the no-boil ones. I just cooked them very al dente since they will continue to cook later in the oven.

INGREDIENTS:
Sauce:
3 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine
2 shallots, minced
1/4 C all purpose flour
2-1/2 C almond milk
1/2 C white wine
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs vegan Parmesan cheese
2 portobellos, diced
“Ricotta Cheese”:
1-14oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
Pesto:
2-1/2 C fresh basil leaves
1/2 C parsley
1 C pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 C lemon juice
1/3 C olive oil
3 Tbs vegan Parmesan cheese
The rest:
2-1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
4-5 C baby spinach
12 lasagna noodles

DIRECTIONS:
I recommend making the “ricotta” mixture and pesto earlier. To make pesto, combine the basil leaves, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese and process until well combine and smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To make the tofu mixture, combine all ingredients except the mozzarella cheese in a food processor. Process until smooth and then transfer to a bowl. Stir in the cheese and again, store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil the noodles until al dente–don’t have to cook them like regular pasta. While these are boiling, start the sauce: In a large saucepan, melt the margarine over medium to high heat. Add the shallots and saute for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the flour and white wine. Add the almond milk and lower heat; cook until it begins to thicken, stirring often. Add salt, portobellos, and Parmesan cheese.

Spread a ladle full of sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish. Make sure you rinse the noodles with water to keep them separated—you may have to do this a few times throughout the process. Layer 3 noodles on the bottom of the pan, on top of the sauce. Next, add about 2-3 tablespoons of the tofu mixture onto each noodle. Do the same with the pesto. Then add a later of spinach, then sprinkle on some cheese.

Top with 3 more noodles and then another 1-2 ladles of sauce on top. Repeat layers 2 more times and then top with remaining 3 noodles, the rest of the sauce, and the cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes. For the last 5-7 minutes of baking, you can remove the foil and continue baking in order to melt the cheese on top. Let sit a couple of minutes before slicing up. Next stop: vegan food nirvana.

Enjoy!

Spinach and Tofu Calzones

April 26, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Now that’s a calzone!

I’ve noticed I’ve been making a lot of pasta/Italian dishes like the Stuffed Shells and Lasagna–no reason, really–perhaps the rainy weather is prompting cravings for comfort food…whatever the reason, I’m not complaining.

The spinach part of the recipe makes quite a hog of a calzone, so if you’re not into that, I recommend either halving the spinach/tofu mixture or doubling the dough recipe to make more calzone that can be stored in the fridge or freezer…or make smaller calzones–8 instead of 4. As the recipe stands, you could easily split one between two people. Add your favorite pizza toppings if you wish…I added mushrooms, olives (black, green or both), vegan mozzarella. Try Smart Deli ham with pineapple…you name it. I also warmed up 1/2 a jar of marinara sauce to pour on top–a must!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C cooked, chopped spinach, squeezed dry
4 oz soft silken tofu, drained
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-16oz pkg. extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled (I use 14 oz since that’s all I had)
1 Tbs minced fresh basil leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
Optional: your favorite calzone/pizza toppings like mushrooms, olives, vegan ham, pineapple…
Optional: 1/2-1 C vegan mozzarella
Optional: 1/2 a jar of marinara sauce (Muir Glen Organics only has 4 grams of sugar–much less than my previous favorite–Newman’s Own)

1 recipe Traditional Pizza Dough (below):
1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 C warm water
2-1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar or natural sweetener
1 Tbs olive oil, plus more for spreading

Use immediately or store for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator or for 3-4 weeks in the freezer. Make sure it is tightly wrapped in plastic.

(I decided to store it in the fridge for about 45 minutes and it continued to rise…)

Anyway…

To make calzone: Preheat oven to 375. In a blender or food processor, combine the spinach, silken tofu, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and set aside.

(I recommend having the rest of the ingredients ready to go before proceeding). Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the firm tofu, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring , until any liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach mixture. Taste and adjust the seasonings, the set side to cool.

Punch the dough down and divide it in half (to make 4 calzones, divide into fourths). On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 1/4″ thick circle. Divide the filling equally between the dough circles, leaving a 1″ border around the edge. (This is where I smooshed in fresh mushroom pieces, olives and a bit of vegan mozzarella).

Fold the empty half of the dough over the filling and press down along the edge with your fingers, then seal with a fork.

Place on a lightly oiled pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

If using, heat marinara over the stove and pour a ladle-full over the calzone. Top with a pinch or two of vegan mozzarella and enjoy!

Recipe source: Vegan Planet

Vegetable Lasagna

April 18, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This lasagna is delicious, simple and healthy! I used the same tofu mixture recipe as the Stuffed Shells and it was perfect for this meal. I used the no-boil lasagna noodles since they’re such a time saver–just make sure that every inch gets covered with sauce, otherwise, any bare spots won’t cook and will be crunchy.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbs olive oil
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2-1/2 C zucchini, sliced thin
2-1/2 C portobello mushrooms, sliced
2/3 C onion, chopped
1 14-oz pgk. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 jar marinara sauce, divided into thirds (I like Newman’s Own)
1/4-1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
8-oz vegan mozzarella, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375.
To make tofu mixture: Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese. Stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the onions, zucchini and mushrooms in the olive oil for about 5-8 minutes, just enough to soften them.
In a 15″ baking pan, line the bottom with 4 of the lasagna noodles. Top with half of the tofu mixture, half of vegetables, sprinkle with a layer of cheese and then 1/3 of the sauce.

Top with another 4 noodles, the other half of the tofu mixture and other half of veggies. Add another thin layer of cheese and 1/3 of the sauce. Top with remaining 4 noodles, rest of sauce and rest of cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells

April 10, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Ricotta what?! Who needs ricotta? These stuffed shells are outstanding and the tofu mixture can easily be used for lasagna. If you don’t have fresh basil, use 1-1/2 tablespoons of the dried variety. In the past, I’ve also added about 6 large spinach leaves after processing everything else. Great way to get some added calcium and veggies. Also, if you don’t have any French or Italian bread, make garlic toast easily with leftover hamburger or hot dog buns. I had some whole wheat hamburger buns in the freezer, so I thawed them briefly in the microwave, spread them with some Earth Balance and sprinkled them with garlic salt. Pop them in the oven under a high broiler while the shells cool after baking.

INGREDIENTS:
1 12-oz pgk. jumbo pasta shells
1 14-oz pgk. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 jar marinara sauce (I like Newman’s Own)
1/4-1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded and divided

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese. Stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Cook shells according to package instructions, but subtract a couple of minutes–you want the shells very al dente so that they do not split. Pour a layer of sauce on the bottom of a 15″ baking dish. Stuff each shell (about 43 of them) with 2-3 tsp of tofu mixture and place in pan. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and enjoy!

Garlic-toasted hamburger buns

Seitan Meatballs

March 22, 2010 by epicureanvegan

One bite and these “meat”balls were an instant favorite that I’ll be making often. They’re actually quite easy to make and prep time was only about 10 mins at the most. The recipe is from Vegetarian Times and includes a sauce recipe, which I didn’t have time for, so I just used jarred sauce. Already looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow…

INGREDIENTS:
1-16-oz pkg. seitan (I used 2-8oz pkgs of Westsoy’s beef-style seitan–in the red box)
1/2 C pecans
1/2 C whole wheat breadcrumbs (used regular–couldn’t find whole wheat)
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp egg replacer powder
16-oz pasta
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray (I used foil and sprayed that–baked-on cooking spray is a pain to scrub off of baking sheets)! Crumble seitan in food processor . Add pecans; pulse to blend.

Transfer to a bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, 1 Tbs olive oil, and soy sauce. Whisk egg replacer with 1/4 C water until frothy; fold into seitan mixture.

Shape mixture into 18 (I got 20) balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, and brush with remaining 2 Tbs oil.

Bake 20 mins, turning once, or until crusty and lightly browned. I didn’t bother turning them and they turned out great.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and divide among serving bowls. Top with sauce and meatballs. Enjoy!

UPDATE: These made GREAT meatball sandwiches!