From: Bryanna (NewVeggies.vegsource.com)
Subject: VEGAN EASTER MAIN DISH IDEAS (INCLUDING BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH): (Part 1)
Date: March 20, 2005 at 10:20 am PST
BRYANNA’S VEGAN EASTER MAIN DISH IDEAS (INCLUDING BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH):
NOTES:
ON CORNSTARCH; Call me old-fashioned, but I really feel that cornstarch is the most reliable and easy-to-work-with starch. I’ve tried arrowroot, but it is just not as consistently reliable as cornstarch. To avoid GMOs, you can use organic cornstarch. Here’s where to get it if your HFS does not carry it;
ORGANIC CORNSTARCH;
http://www.herbalteasonline.com/shopping/spices.htm
ALCOHOL: SEE NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS FILE ON VEGAN ALCOHOL AND SUBSTITUTES FOR ALCOHOL.
This would be good for a brunch main dish—it’s best made ahead and served at room temp:
BRYANNA’S BASIC FRITTATA MIXTURE AND INSTRUCTIONS
From my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
Makes 2 10" frittate
BATTER:
1 lb. medium-firm tofu OR silken extra-firm tofu
6 T. unbleached white flour (or 1/4 c. brown rice flour)
1/4 c. nutritional yeast flakes
1 T. water (or dry white wine, marsala or dry sherry)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. white pepper
ADDITIONS:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (can substitute all or some green onion, or leek)
2 medium cooked potatoes, peeled and sliced OR 1 c. leftover cooked pasta (with or without sauce)
freshly-ground black pepper
about 2 T. Soymage vegan soy Parmesan substitute to sprinkle on top
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS: (1-2 c. total)
1 T. to 2/3 c. chopped fresh herbs: can be simply Italian parsley, or a mixture of parsley, basil, mint, sage, etc.
some chopped vegetarian "ham", "back bacon", or "pepperoni". or some cooked crumbled
vegetarian Italian "sausage"
a few sliced black Italian olives
a bit of chopped sundried tomato (in oil, or rehydrated)
a few thinly-sliced cooked or canned or marinated artichoke hearts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chopped cooked "bitter greens", such as arugula, dandelion, endive, borage, etc.
thinly sliced bell pepper-- any or all colors
thinly-sliced zucchini or other summer squash
other vegetables, crisply-cooked and cut in small pieces-- asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, greens, green beans, zucchini flowers, eggplant, etc..
Preheat oven to 450 degree F.
Place 1 T. olive oil in each of two 10" cast iron skillets or baking dishes and place them in the oven while it heats up.
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until very smooth.
Add the onion and any vegetables that need to be sauteed to the hot oil in the pans in the oven. Bake them for about 5 minutes, then add them to the batter in a bowl, along with all other additions, and the potatoes, pasta, etc.. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Divide the mixture evenly between two 10" cast iron skillets, well-oiled with olive oil, and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle with pepper and soy Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on racks for 10 minutes, then loosen the bottom and cut each frittata into 6 pieces. Eat warm, or at room temperature (best when cooled a bit). Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. They make great sandwich fillers!
My favorite frittata is one made with onions, potato, red and green peppers, and artichoke hearts or zucchini, perhaps with some fresh basil and Italian parsley.
COMMON VEGETABLE COMBINATIONS FOR FRITTATE:
leeks and peas with fennel or mint
swiss chard with breadcrumbs and marjoram
potato and onion with a pinch of red pepper flakes
mushrooms and parsley, and substitute marsala wine for the water
artichoke hearts, asparagus, parsley, a bit of lemon, dry white wine instead of water in the recipe
fried or grilled eggplant
artichoke hearts, potatoes, roasted red pepper, veggie "ham"
browned or camelized onions (with or without other vegetables)
green beans and potatoes
asparagus and mushroom, with potato or spaghetti
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More good brunch dishes:
BRYANNA’S CHEESEY VEGAN SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE
Serves 2-4
This is kind of like a casserole version of that hot, creamy artichoke dip!
10 oz. Package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
14 oz. Jar marinated artichoke hearts
2 T. raw cashew pieces
8 oz. Medium-firm regular tofu OR extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1 and 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 T. light miso
1 T. flour
1/2 T. tahini
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch sugar
1/4 c. plain soy protein powder
2 chopped green onions
2 T. chopped fresh basil
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/4 c. Soymage 100 percent vegan soy parmesan plus a little bit more to sprinkle on top
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a 9” pie pan
Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible. Drain the artichoke hearts in a colander, then rinse the oil off with warm water. Drain again. Slice the artichokes.
In a DRY food processor, grind the cashews as finely as possible, almost to a past. Loosen them from the sides of the processor bowl with a spatula and add the tofu, lemon juice, miso, flour, tahini, salt and sugar. Process until quite smooth.
Add the soy protein powder and process again until smooth. You may have to stop the machine and scrape down the sides to get all the powder mixed in. Add the onion, basil and pepper and process briefly. Add the soy parmesan and process briefly again.
Add the squeezed spinach and drained, sliced artichokes. Pulse the processor brieefly just to chop the artichokes a bit and mix.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pan, sprinkle with a little more soy parmesan, and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cut into 3-4 wedges and serve hot, cold or at room temperature.
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BRYANNA'S VEGAN STRATA serves 6
This type of bread casserole is also called a "soufflé" and a "bread fondue". It usually contains eggs and cheese.
I adapted this from a recipe in Joanne Stepaniak's "The Uncheese Cookbook". Her version was no-soy, using 1 and 1/2 c. water and 1/2 c. raw cashews instead of 1 and 1/4 c. water and the tofu. I made a few other changes. It's good!
BLENDED MIX:
1 and 1/4 c. water
1/2 c. chopped rinsed and drained roasted red pepper from a jar
1 c. medium-firm tofu OR extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1/4 c. nutritional yeast flakes
3 T. lemon juice
1 and 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 and 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: 1 and 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh herbs of choice
OPTIONAL: 2 T. dry white wine (can be non-alcoholic)
9 normal slices bread (if you use a wholegrain one, make sure it's not too heavy)
about 2 c. sliced vegetables-- can be lightly-steamed broccoli or cauliflower, sliced fresh tomatoes, sauteed greens-- whatever.
OPTIONAL: chopped or slivered veggie "ham" or "Canadian Back bacon", browned veggie "sausage", etc.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Blend the blended mix ingredients in a blender until VERY smooth. Place 3 slices bread in an oiled 9" casserole. Put half the vegetables and any optionals over that, and spread with 1/3 od the blended mix. Repeat layering, ending with the last 3 slices bread and remaining 1/3 of the blended mix. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until lightly puffed and golden. Serve immediately.
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BRYANNA'S TORTINO DI PATATE Serves 6
(From my book "Nonna's Italian Kitchen")
A potato tortino is made with thinly-sliced pre-cooked waxy potatoes. It can be made simply with potatoes, sauteed onions, and breadcrumbs, or a more elaborate version can be made by adding soy Parmesan, vegetarian "bacon" or "ham" or "sausage", tomatoes, mushrooms, sauteed greens, and/or Besciamella Sauce.
2 lbs. waxy potatoes
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2-4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. vegetarian broth or non-dairy milk
@ 1/2 c. fine dry breadcrumbs
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL:
1.)You may add a sprinkling of Soymage Parmesan substitute , about 1 T., to each layer and on top.
2.)You may add also, instead or, or in addition to the soy Parmesan, about 1 c. of thick Besciamella Sauce (vegan white sauce, see below)dividing it between the layers.
3.)Instead of these ideas, or in addition to them you may add:
#1 (choose one):
1/2 lb. fresh ripe sliced plum tomatoes or about 1 c. canned tomatoes, drained and diced or chopped (add a clove of chopped garlic to the onions)
1-2 c. sauteed greens with garlic
2 T. chopped fresh rosemary and 1 oz. dried porcini or boletus mushrooms, soaked, drained and chopped (use reserved soaking water for liquid in recipe)
AND/OR
1/2 lb. any kind of fresh mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in a little extra-virgin olive oil (also use rosemary)
#2 OPTIONAL (choose one):
6 thin slices commercial vegetarian "back bacon" or ham" (this takes the place of "speck" a northern Italian smoked ham)
1-2 c. crumbled, browned vegetarian "sausage" or Italian "sausage" (This goes well with greens.)
Steam or boil the potatoes, cut into even-sized chunks, until they are just tender, but still firm. (I don't usually peel them, but you can, if you wish.) Drain them and, when they can be handled easily, slice them about 1/4" thick.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions in the oil until they are soft and starting to brown.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Smear a 10" glass or ceramic casserole or pie pan with olive oil of non-dairy margarine and coat it with some of the breadcrumbs. Layer the potatoes and onions in the dish, adding salt and pepper between layers, and also any of the optional ingredients you may be using. End with potatoes, salt and pepper. Pour the liquid over the dish and top with the remaining breadcrumbs (and soy Parmesan or alternate, if you wish). Bake 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top. Serve hot.
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BRYANNA'S VEGAN TORTA PASQUELINA (LIGURIAN EASTER PIE) Serves 8-12
From my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
Torta pasquelina is a world-famous specialty of the Genoa region, where my grandmother's family originated. The traditional pie (often taken on to be eaten cold a family picnic on Easter Monday) was made with 33 layers of paper-thin dough (one layer for each year of Jesus' life) encasing a rich filling made from a ricotta-like cheese, Parmesan, Swiss chard, and herbs, with eggs broken into depressions in the filling.
Modern cooks now use frozen phyllo pastry, and this vegan filling is rich with artichokes and mushrooms.
You should make this pie either a day or two ahead, or early in the morning, so that it has time to cool thoroughly-- it is most delicious at room temperature.
NOTE: If you have no Swiss chard, you can substitute other greens, prepared the same way, or even one or two 10 oz. packages of frozen chopped spinach or other greens (thawed and squeezed dry), but the taste will be different.
Phyllo Crust:
1/2 lb. frozen phyllo pastry, thawed )Filo Factory makes organic in unbleached, wholewheat and spelt varieties)
about 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Filling:
1-2 lb. Swiss chard (depending on how "green" you like your pie)
2 and 1/2 c. Ricotta di Soya (**see below)
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 /10 oz. package frozen, thawed artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
or 1/2 a 14 oz. can artichokes in water
1/4 lb. sliced fresh white or brown mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. Soymage Parmesan substitute
2 T. flour
1/2 T. chopped fresh marjoram
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. EACH freshly-ground pepper and nutmeg
Wash and trim the chard. Steam the chard for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain it and squeeze it as dry as possible. Chop it coarsely. Place in a large bowl, along with the "ricotta".
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the sliced or quartered artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, until the mushrooms brown and wilt a little. Add these vegetables to the bowl of chard and "ricotta", along with the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
Oil a 9" springform pan with olive oil. With scissors, cut the large sheets of phyllo pastry in half to make about 18-20 rectangular sheets. Trim half of them into 9" rounds and set aside with a towel over them. Place one rectangular sheet in the pan, pressing the sheet gently against the sides and letting the corners overhang the pan. Brush each successive sheet of phyllo with a little of the olive oil before crisscrossing it over the last one, so that all sides of the pan are covered with pastry.
Fill the pastry case with the filling, smoothing the top. Brush each successive round of phyllo with a little olive oil and leyer the rounds on top of the filling. Bring the overhanging edges of the bottom layer up and over the top. Brush generously with what's left of the olive oil.
Place the pie in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy, and the filling has puffed up some in the middle. (Turn the heat down to 300 degrees F if the pastry is browning too fast.) Cool on a rack until the pan is cool enough to handle, then remove the outer ring of the pan and place the torta on a serving platter. Cool thoroughly on a rack and serve at room temperature.
If made ahead, you can refrigerate the cooled pie for a day or two, then bring to room temperature before serving. Cut into wedges to serve.
** BRYANNA'S RICOTTA DI SOYA (TOFU RICOTTA) makes 3 and 1/2 c.
From my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
This mixture is very similar to the creamy full-fat ricotta used in Italy, which bears little resemblance to the watery, grainy ricotta available to most North Americans. It's so creamy that you can use it as a spread on bread, or a filling for crespelle (crepes), or even in desserts.
2 (12.3 oz.) boxes extra-firm SILKEN tofu, crumbled
1/2 c.+ 2 T. raw cashew pieces, ground very fine in a coffee/spice mill or mini-chopper
2 T. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
In a food processor, mix about 3 c. of the crumbled tofu, the ground cashews, the lemon juice and salt until they are VERY smooth. Then crumble in the remaining tofu and process again. The resulting mixture should be mostly smooth, but with a little graininess-- it doesn't have to be like cream cheese.
Scoop the "ricotta" into a plastic container and refrigerate. It firms up when chilled.
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Crepes can be used for an easter breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or dessert dish!
BRYANNA’S TOFU CREPES Makes 12-13 crepes
From my book “Soyfoods Cooking for a Positive Menopause”.
These are really excellent--they have that flexible "eggy" texture of regular crepes. You can freeze them, too.
1 and 1/2 c. soymilk
1 c. unbleached flour or wholewheat pastry flour
1/2 c. medium-firm tofu
1/4 c. soy flour
OPTIONAL: 1-2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. EACH salt and baking powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric
a few gratings of nutmeg
Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth. No need to "rest" the batter first. Tofu crepes are made just like ordinary crepes. Heat a nonstick 8" skillet over medium-high heat and wipe it lightly with oil before making each crepe. Use about 3 T. of batter per crepe (stirring the batter before you make each crepe), rolling and tilting the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Cook for a few seconds, or until the top looks dry. Carefully loosen the crepe with a spatula and flip it over. After a few seconds the other side should be dry. Fold into quarters or roll like a jelly roll and place on a plate (or leave them flat if you are going to stack them with filling). If you are going to use the crepes shortly, cover them with a clean tea towel.
Either fill the crepes and serve according to the specific recipe directions, or let them cool and place in a plastic bag or rigid container (with pieces of waxed paper in between each crepe) and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze them for future use (thaw thoroughly before filling).
VARIATIONS:
Dessert Crepes: (can be used as a breakfast or brunch dish, too) Use 2 T. sugar; add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. pure orange or lemon extract. Roll around Tofutti Better than Cream Chese or Tofu Mascarpone (see recipe in Tiramisu recipe below) and top sweetened fresh fruit, liqueur, and or any sweet sauce.
BRYANNA’S STUFFED ITALIAN CREPES Serves 6
From my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
Serve these with a light tomato sauce or a medium Bechamel Sauce (see recipe below in lasagne section), ( or you can layer the Bechamel Sauce over the tomato sauce, for a really special dish) along with Soymage vegan soy Parmesan.
NOTE: for a simple, easy filling, use 3-4 c. diced steamed or roasted vegetables of your choice, moistened with a thick Bechamel Sauce.
1 recipe Tofu Crepes (above) (12 crepes)
SPINACH AND "CHEESE" FILLING:
2 onions, minced
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. fresh cleaned spinach (or other greens)
OR 2 10 oz. pckgs. chopped frozen spinach (or other greens)
1 and 1/2 c. Tofu Ricotta (see below)
4 to 6 T. Soymage vegan soy Parmesan
salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg to taste
Light Tomato Sauce (see recipe below)
And/or Bechamel sauce (see recipe below in lasagne section)
Soymage vegan soy parmesan
Sauté the onions in the olive oil in a non-stick skillet until they are soft and starting to brown (adding a tiny bit of water as needed, to keep from sticking).
Meanwhile, place the fresh spinach in boiling water until it is completely wilted, then drain, squeeze dry and chop it. OR, if using frozen spinach, thaw it thoroughly (you can quick-thaw it by placing the whole carton in the microwave for 5 minutes) and squeeze it as dry as possible.
Mix the spinach in a bowl with the cooked onions, ricotta, soy Parmesan, and salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. (It should be strongly seasoned.)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place a generous amount of filling down the center of each crepe and roll it up. Place the rolls in an oiled baking dish. (You can prepare the crepes up to this point several hours ahead of time.) Pour a little of the sauce you are using over the crepes, sprinkle with soy Parmesan, and bake 20 minutes. Serve with more sauce on the side.
VARIATIONS: Use any of the fillings for Cannelloni (below).
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Another dish that would be good at any meal of the day:
BRYANNA’S VEGETARIAN QUICHE LORRAINE
Makes 1 9" quiche or 4 individual ones
From my book “Soyfoods Cooking for a Positive Menopause”.
This is really delicious, as smooth and rich-tasting as the real thing!
9" pie shell (or divide pastry into 4 individual foil tins) (see my lowfat crust recipe at end of file)
4 slices vegetarian "ham" or "Canadian or back bacon"
1/4 c. Soymage vegan soy Parmesan
1 and 3/4 c. soymilk
1/2 c. medium-firm tofu
1 "chicken-style" vegetarian bouillon cube (or enough for 1 c. liquid), crumbled
1 T. custard powder plus 1/2 T. cornstarch OR 1 and 1/2 T. cornstarch plus a pinch of Spanish saffron (wheat starch can be used in place of cornstarch)
1/2 tsp. agar powder
1/2 tsp. salt
a pinch of pepper and nutmeg
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (or 400 for individual quiches).
Pre-bake the crust (prick all over with a fork) for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
Brown the "ham" in a nonstick pan. Slice it thinly and scatter over bottom of pastry.
Blend the remaining ingredients well in the blender and pour over veggie "ham" in the crust. Bake 10 minutes, then cover edges of pastry with strips of foil and bake 20 minutes more (or bake individual quiches at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes).
The quiche needs to be cooled at least to room temperature to be firm, and keep well, refrigerated, for a few days. You could also make mini-quiche-tarts with this mixture.
VARIATIONS: With or without the veggie "ham" or "bacon", add lightly-steamed vegetables, well-drained, such as asparagus, broccoli, etc.. Chopped fresh herbs can also be added.
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.If you prefer a more creamy sauce, you can use a vegan Béchamel Sauce instead of the Yeast Gravy (both recipes further below in this file). If you prefer less tofu, or no tofu, you can eliminate all or some of the tofu and substitute more vegetables (of your choice) in larger chunks, steamed til barely tender, or vegetables and seitan chunks-- it's a good recipe to play around with!
BRYANNA'S TOFU POT PIE Serves 6
This recipe, adapted from The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook, has remained a steady favorite over the years. It is still the centerpiece of our vegetarian Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, even when I serve a more elegant main dish as well.
For holiday meals, I double the recipe and make it in a 14" cast iron skillet. We serve it with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and a variety of vegetable dishes.
If you would like to make it more "gourmet", you can use chanterelle mushrooms and add some chopped fresh herbs, such as savory, but we prefer it this way.
It may seem a bit of a production, but you could make the crust the day before, cook the tofu cubes when you have something else in oven, and/or make the filling a day or two before cooking-- then assemble the pie just before baking.
One 9-10" Pastry crust (see my low-fat crust , below)
1 lb. medium-firm tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 c. wholewheat flour
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
1 recipe Yeast Gravy (see below) made with ONLY 1 T. soy sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
4 oz. fresh white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1/4 c. water
1 and 1/2 c. frozen petit pois (baby peas)
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
soymilk for brushing
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Mix the flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic granules in a paper bag. Shake the tofu cubes in the bag until they are well-coated. Place the cubes on lightly-oiled dark cookie sheets and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Turn them over and bake 7-10 minutes more, until golden all over. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Heat a large lightly-oil or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and steam-fry until they soften, adding a little water as necessary to keep from sticking. Add the carrots, mushrooms, celery and water. Cover and cook 10 minutes.
Add the peas, soy sauce, garlic granules, and the tofu cubes. If you are not baking the pie in the skillet, place the mixture into a deep-dish 10" casserole or pie pan and stir in the Yeast Gravy.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll out the pie crust to fit the pan and cover the tofu mixture with it. Cut decorative slits in the top, crimp the edges and brush the whole thing with soymilk. Place the pan on a 14" round pizza pan or a cookie sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
For individual servings you can make this in small pie pans or casserole dishes, which can be frozen before baking.
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BRYANNA’S ARTICHOKE STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARROTS
Serves 8-10
This Greek-style vegetable stew, redolent of white wine, lemon and dill, can be made ahead of time and reheated.
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 9 oz. pckgs. frozen artichoke hearts OR 2 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts in water
8 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 lb. whole small mushrooms
2 c. chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 c. vegetable or soy broth
1 c. dry white wine
1 T. dry dillweed
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 T. potato starch or cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c. water
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. When it’s hot, saute the onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms until the onions soften and the vegetables are beginning to brown a little. Add the artichokes, broth, wine and dillweed, bring to a boil, then cover, turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste (salt depends on the type of broth you use). Stir in the dissolved starch and stir brifly until it has thickened (cornstarch has to boil, potato starch does not). If it's still not thick enough for your taste, add another T. of potato starch, dissolved. Serve hot.
VARIATION: For an everyday dish, omit the mushrooms and substitute 2 lbs. of small potatoes thin-skinned (unpeeled) (or chunks). You may not need as much thickening for this. Eat as a one dish meal with crusty bread.
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BRYANNA'S SEITAN ROAST IN A FRENCH BREAD CRUST AU JUS
Serves 8
From my book “The Almost No-Fat Holiday Cookbook”.
This juicy, herb-scented seitan roast in a crusty French bread "basket" (inspired by a Roman recipe in the April 1980 issue of Sunset magazine, which used a pork or lamb roast) will be the hit of an Easter dinner. The roast can be made and sliced and reassembled several days ahead of time and the bread dough can be made the day before and refrigerated. The crusty bread is perfect to soak up the tasty seitan broth-- much better than the greasy pastry crusts that are the usual wraps for elegant loaves and roasts. Serve gravy as well, for those who prefer it.
1 Seitan Roast (original or new version--recipes at bottom of this file), made 1 to several days ahead and refrigerated, covered, in its cooking broth
1 recipe French Bread dough (made with 6 c. flour) made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, well-covered in plastic (see recipe below)
1 recipe Cornstarch Glaze for Bread (see below)
HERB MIXTURE:
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. minced fresh parsley
1 and 1/2 tsp. crumbled dried sage leaves
1 and 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, basil or other favorite herb
1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
2 to 3 hours before serving, remove the Seitan Roast and the French bread dough from the refrigerator. Slice the roast neatly into thin slices, then reassemble the roast and wrap white string around it like a package to hold the slices in place so that it looks like a roast shape again. Reserve the broth.
Use a tape measure to measure the circumference of the roast at the thickest point, and the length at the longest point, and jot those numbers down.
Punch the dough down and turn it out on a lightly-floured surface. Roll it out into a rectangle 1/4" thick. Cut the dough 2" longer than the roast's circumference and 3" wider than its length. Place any dough trimmings in a plastic bag and refrigerate until later. Spread half of the Herb Mixture down the center of the dough rectangle in a strip about the size of the roast. Place the reassembled roast down on this mixture. Spread the remaining Herb Mixture over the top of the roast.
Brush water all around the edge of the dough and fold the sides of the dough up over the roast so that the edges overlap slightly in the middle. Press the edges together. Fold in the ends and seal them. Place the roast, seam-side-down, on a lightly-oiled shallow baking pan. Let stand, lightly covered, in a warm place until puffy, 30 to 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the Cornstarch Glaze and set aside. (If you like, form the dough trimmings into 2" balls, then flatten them out into 5 or 6" rounds. Cover them loosely and let them stand in a warm place until puffy, then brush them with the Cornstarch Glaze and sprinkle with garlic salt or herbs. Bake them on a cookie sheet alongside the roast for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm with the roast, or for another meal.)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. When the dough is ready, prick it with a fork around the sides in 3 or 4 places. Brush with the Starch Glaze and bake 15 minutes. Brush again and bake 35-40 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden brown.
Meanwhile combine the reserved seitan broth with water (you can use part dry wine, if you like) if it is too strong (you might need as much as 1/2 c. water to each 3/4 c. broth). Heat this before serving (if you use wine, boil it for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol). To serve, cut the top off the bread "basket" with a serrated knife, cut the string and pull the strings out. Lift out the seitan slices, cutting or breaking off pieces of bread with each serving. Pass the broth (and gravy, if desired) to serve with the roast and bread.
BRYANNA'S CORNSTARCH GLAZE FOR BREAD
This simple glaze is used in place of egg white to help toppings adhere to the tops of loaves, or for a shiny crust.
1/2 c. cold water
1 tsp. cornstarch
Mix the water and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Stir constantly over high heat until thickened and clear.
BRYANNA’S BASIC FRENCH, ITALIAN OR CRUSTY BREAD, AND VARIATIONS 2 loaves or 12-16 rolls
Adapted from my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
In some areas you can buy delicious crusty breads fresh from a bakery, but there is nothing like fresh breads from your own oven. This type of bread is actually a very simple one and easy to make. Just remember not to try and speed it up-- it needs time to develop flavor and texture. It also needs a hot oven and some moisture at the beginning of the baking, to develop "oven spring" (the last burst of rising) and to form a golden crust.
You will notice that this bread, like most European breads, contains no sweetener or oil. The yeast can feed off the natural sugars in the flour, so needs no sugar. The lack of oil gives the bread a crisp crust and chewy texture, as you expect with this type of bread, but makes it stale fast. So, if you aren't going to eat it within a day, freeze it. (The moist dough keeps this bread from being dry.)
FOOD PROCESSOR DOUGH: You can make this dough in a large food processor, or in two batches in a medium food processor, following the directions given with your machine. Mix and rise the sponge in a bowl first. Process the final dough ("knead") for 30-60 seconds.
1 T. regular baking yeast
2 c. very warm water
3 c. unbleached or wholewheat flour (or you can use 2 and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour with 1/2 c. wheat bran)
2 tsp. salt
3 c. unbleached flour
In a large bowl or bowl of a heavy-duter mixer dissolve the yeast in the water for about 5 minutes. Stir in the first 3 c. of flour and the salt. Beat well, cover with plastic wrap and let this "sponge" (batter) rise for 1 or 2 hours in a warm spot OR overnight in the refrigerator.
Stir in the last 3 c. flour a little at a times, adding only as much as necessary to make a kneadable dough. Knead the dough with the dough hook of a heavy-duty mixer or by hand on a lightly-floured surface for about 10 minutes. Add a little more flour as needed, but be careful not to make the dough too dry-- it should be moist but not sticky, and very pliable.
Slam the dough down hard on the surface a few times after kneading (to get rid of air bubbles). Place the dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl, cover well and let rise at room temperature until doubled. Punch down. if you like, let it rise once again, but this isn't necessary.
Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Shape the dough into 2 long loaves, or rounds or braided loaves, or into 12-16 loaf-shaped rolls. Place on non-stick or lightly-oiled cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina cereal, or, if you are baking on stones or tiles, on greased and well-floured flat cookie sheets with no lip or rim, or on pieces of stiff cardboard covered with greased and well-floured baking parchment. Sprinkle the tops with flour, cover with slightly damp clean tea towels or place inside of large plastic bags, and let rise at room temperature until doubled.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (convection 400 degrees F).
If using tiles or baking stones, preheat them in the oven as well.
In order to generate steam in the oven, you can place a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven, OR squirt the loaves and the walls of the oven two or three times in the first 10-15 minutes of baking with cold water in a plant mister.
Before baking, slash the loaves in several places with a razor blade. Slide the loaves or rolls onto the hot stones or tiles, or place the cookie sheets on the racks. Spray with water from a plant mister. Bake 5 minutes. Spray again. Bake 5 more minutes. Spray again. Bake 5 more minutes. (If you are using a pan of water in the oven, remove it at this point.) Bake 15-20 minutes more, or until the bread is a rich golden brown. (Rolls will take less time and a convection oven will also probably take less time.) Remove bread from pans and cool on racks.
When the bread has cooled, you can freeze it wrapped in foil, then reheat it wrapped in the foil at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH IN A BREAD MACHINE:
Making sticky bread doughs in a modern bread machine is a wonderful time-saver, and certainly very clean (no messy hands or counter). But you must bake the bread in a regular or convection oven, or you will be disappointed, even if you have a "crusty bread" or "French bread" selection on your machine.
If your bread machine makes large (2 lb.) loaves, it can probably handle kneading the whole recipe. If it's an old one with a smaller capacity, you may have to knead half a recipe at a time.
Use cold water. Place the ingredients in the bread container in the order that is instructed for your machine. Select the dough cycle and let it go to work. You can remove it from the machine after it has kneaded and rise it in a bowl, or, if the your container is big enough for the dough to double, let it rise through the entire dough cycle, then remove for the final rising and proceed with the recipe as instructed above.
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BRYANNA'S “MEATY”VEGETARIAN CABBAGE ROLLS serves 6-8
(can be wheat-free)
I’m sure that all of us have had our share of tasteless vegetarian cabbage rolls filled with unadorned rice, cooked until soggy. I think that this is because carnivorous cooks don’t think vegetarians like flavor, so they just leave out the meat, bacon fat, etc., that give the rice flavor, and don’t substitute anything else! Here’ s my “meaty” vegetarian cabbage rolls—always well-received. I also offer you a different way of softening the cabbage leaves—no cooking required, just a little thinking ahead!
By the way, you can freeze the filled, uncooked cabbage rolls, so it pays to make lots. Thaw them out before cooking them . (There’s a microwave option below for cooking half the recipe at a time.)
1 large head of green cabbage
FILLING:
4 c. leftover cooked brown rice (OR use other cooked whole grains, such as quinoa, bulgur wheat, buckwheat, millet, etc.)
3 c. vegetarian “hamburger crumbles, or browned crumbled vegetarian “sausage”
1 T. roasted (Asian) sesame oil
2 medium onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. soy “bacon” chips (I like ClubHouse brand) or bits
OR 1/2 c. chopped vegetarian “Canadian back bacon” or “ham”
1 T. vegetarian worcestershire sauce OR 2 T. Lea and Perrins Steak Sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: some chopped sauteed mushrooms
1 tsp. dried thyme
TOMATO SAUCE:
3 c. water
1 (5-6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 T. unbleached sugar, white beet sugar, Sucanat or brown sugar, or maple syrup
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
3 DAYS BEFORE MAKING THE CABBAGE ROLLS: Place the cabbage (any unsightly outer leaves removed) in a plastic bag. Fasten shut and freeze the cabbage for at least two days.
1 DAY BEFORE MAKING THE CABBAGE ROLLS: Thaw the head of cabbage out.
After the cabbage has thawed, the leaves will be wilted and it should be fairly easy to separate them. I usually cut them from te stem one-by-one with a sharp knife and carefully peel off. It’s okay if they tear a little. Select 20-24 of the nicest leaves. (The rest can be used in soup.) If any of the leaves have a large ridge at the bottom, you can trim that even with the rest of the leaf, or cut it out.
TO MAKE THE CABBAGE ROLLS: Give yourself an hour to make them (not counting cooking the rice). They take two hours to cook, but during that time you are free to go about your business.
Before you start, cook the brown rice, if you haven’t already. Rehydrate the textured soy protein if you are using that instead of “crumbles”.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic until the onions soften and brown a little.
In a large bowl, mix the rice, the “crumbles”, the sauteed onions and garlic, the “bacon”, Worcestershire or steak sauce, any Optionals you might be using, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
TO FILL THE CABBAGE ROLLS: Place each cabbage leaf on your work surface with the inside curve facing up, the stem end down towards you. Place a scoop of the filling in the center, towards the bottom of the leaf. Since the leaves will be of different sizes, there is no one measure for the amount of filling you will need. Fill it generously, packing it together, but not so generously that it spills out the sides when you roll them up. This will take a little experimenting on your part. If you have cut out the stem ridge from any of the leaves, pull the cut ends together before filling. Roll te filled leaf away from you toward the center. Fold in the sides (envelope-style) and then continue rolling up. Some people like to secure these with cocktail toothpicks, but I never do this.
Place the rolls, seam-side-down, in a large oiled baking dish or pan. Mix the Sauce ingredients together with a whisk and pour it over the cabbage rolls. Cover the pan and bake for 2 hours. Serve with commercial or homemade (see below) tofu sour crème.
MICROWAVE OPTION: For HALF THE RECIPE, you can microwave the rolls WITHOUT the sauce (in a microwave–safe baking dish, covered) for 9 minutes on HIGH. Make the sauce with HALF AS MUCH water (and use only half of the sauce, since you are cooking only half of the recipe). After the first 9 minutes of cooking, add the sauce, cover and cook 9 more minutes on HIGH.
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BRYANNA’S HOLUBTSI (UKRAINIAN-STYLE MEATLESS CABBAGE ROLLS)
Makes 20-24 rolls
Freezing the cabbage ahead of time saves all the work of pre-cooking the cabbage leaves, because they get limp after thawing.
My recipe is slightly different from the traditional version in that I use brown rice, I add a bit of garlic and thyme to the filling, and I don't cook them for quite as long (some recipes require FIVE HOURS of cooking!). If you prefer, you can use pearl barley, buckwheat or wheat instead of the rice-- these are all authentic.
1 large head of green cabbage
3 c. water
2 oz. dried mushrooms (Chinese or shiitake are fine, but boletus is best), stems removed
2 c. long grain brown rice
2 large onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
COOKING LIQUID:
3 c. hot water
1 5 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar or other sweetener
1 T. vinegar or lemon juice
At least two days before making the cabbage rolls, place the whole head of cabbage in the freezer. Take the cabbage out of the freezer the night before making the rolls. Carefully separate the thawed leaves. You should have 20-24 large, usable leaves. Trim the hard thick stem ends so that they can roll better.
Cook the dried mushrooms in the water for 1 hour. Drain them and save the liquid, topping it up with vegetable or soy broth so that it makes about 3 and 1/2 c. liquid. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.
In a heavy pot, bring the mushroom-broth liquid to a boil with a bit of salt and add the brown rice. Bring to a boil, then cover, turn down and simmer on low for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, steam-fry the onions and garlic until soft and slightly browned. Mix the cooked rice, mushrooms, onions and thyme together. Taste for salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place about 1/4 c. filling (or whatever the leaf can comfortably hold, packed together lightly) in the middle of each cabbage leaf. Fold the leaf sides in toward the center, then roll up firmly and place seam-side-down, close together in one layer in a large oiled baking pan. Pour the Cooking Liquid over the rolls, cover and bake for 2 hours.
BRYANNA’S TOFU SOUR CREME Makes 1 and 1/2 c.
Silken tofu makes a smooth, rich-tasting mixture which can be used anywhere you would normally use sour cream, including cooking.
1 (12.3 oz.) box extra-firm SILKEN tofu
3 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. unbleached sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
OPTIONAL: for a richer mixture, add 1-2 T. olive oil
Process in a food processor or blender until VERY smooth. Keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For a topping for fruit, sweeten the sour creme with a tablespoon or two of Grade a light maple syrup, fruit-sweetened jam or jelly, fruit juice concentrate, and/or fruit liqueur.
BRYANNA’S CASHEW SOUR CRÈME (OR “YOGURT”) makes 1 and 1/2 c.
This is a creamy and delicious alternative for those with soy AND dairy allergies.
1/2 c. raw cashew pieces
1 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. plain rice or almond milk
2-3 T. lemon juice
Blend the cashews, water and salt in a blender for several minutes, or until VERY smooth. Pour the mixture into a heavy medium saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens considerably. DO NOT ALLOW TO BURN or the taste will be awful!
MICROWAVE OPTION: Pour the mixture into a microwave-safe bowl and cook on HIGH for 2 minutes, or until quite thick.
With a wire whisk, whisk in the lemon juice (to taste) and the milk until smooth. Place in a covered container and chill. If it’s too thick after chilling, add a little water or more non-dairy milk.
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LASAGNE IS GREAT FOR AN EASTER DINNER—HERE ARE TWO RECIPES:
LASAGNE #1:
BRYANNA’S CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN-STYLE LASAGNE Serves 8-10
The recipes within this recipe are from my book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”.
This is based on the southern-Italian-style festive lasagne that is popular in North America, as opposed to the northern-Italian style one made with Bolognese sauce. You have the choice of using the ragu ( a rich, thick tomato “gravy”) “as is”, with the mushrooms for flavor and substance, or you can add vegan “hamburger crumbles” to the sauce for a “meatier” texture, OR you can layer vegan “meatballs” and/or “Italian Sausage” with the mushroom sauce. Instead of mozzarella cheese, or unsatisfying, not-very-meltable, expensive vegan “mozzarella”, you use a creamy rich-tasting bechamel (white) sauce or white “cheesey” sauce. White sauces are authentically Italian and frequently used in lasagne instead of grated cheese. Vegan soy parmesan is also used.
As with all lasagnes, the component recipes can be made a few days or hours ahead of time (the ragu can be frozen well ahead of time and thawed out) and the casserole put together just before cooking.
16 lasagne noodles, cooked
1 recipe Bryanna’s Ragu ala Napoletana (see Below)
3 c. Bryanna’s Quick Tofu “Ricotta” (see below)
4 c. Bryanna’s Vegan Bechamel Sauce or White Cheezy Sauce (see below)
about 1/2 c. Soymage vegan soy parmesan
1 c. breadcrumbs
extra-virgin olive oil
MEATY OPTION: 2 c. vegan “hamburger crumbles” (like one pckg. Yves “Ground Round”, OR ground seitan, added to the ragu OR 2 pckgs. Yves “meatballs” or vegetarian “meatballs” made with Lightlife VEGETARIAN “hamburger or “sausage” (brown first) AND/OR Lightlife vegetarian “Italian Sausages”, browned and cut into chunks
TO ASSEMBLE AND COOK THE LASAGNE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have all the ingredients and component recipes ready.
(If you want a “meaty” lasagne and you aren’t using the “meatballs” and/or “sausage”, add the 2 c. veg “hamburger crumbles” or ground seitan to the ragu as it cooks.)
Put a very thin layer of ragu on the bottom of an oiled 9x13”, deep baking pan or lasagne dish and set 2 c. of ragu aside for the top layer. Divide the remaining ragu in 3 equal parts.
Place 4 cooked lasagne noodles, slightly overlapping, on the sauce. Now layer 1 c. “ricotta” , about 1 c. either Bechamel Sauce or White “Cheezey” Sauce, and sprinkle with about 2 T. soy parmesan. Spread one of the 3 parts ragu that you have measured out over that. If you are using “meatballs” and/or “Italian Sausage”, scatter one third of them over the ragu (you can cut the “meatballs in half, if you like).
Repeat the layering until you have left only the 2 c. ragu that you set aside, 1 c. white sauce, 2 T. soy parmesan, and the breadcrumbs and olive oil. You should have 4 layers of noodles and 3 layers of filling (“ricotta”, white sauce, soy parmesan, ragu and optional “meat”).
Top the last layer of noodles with the 2 c. ragu, spreading evenly.
Top that carefully with a thin layer of the remaining white sauce. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, and then the remaining soy parmesan. Spray with the olive oil from a pump sprayer (or use olive oil pan spray.
Bake for 1 hour, covering with foil during the last 15 minutes, if it’s getting too brown.
Let stand 15 minutes before cutting to serve.
THE COMPONENT RECIPES:
BRYANNA’S RAGÙ ALLA NAPOLETANA Makes about 6 c. (enough for one 9x13" lasagne)
This very tomatoey ragù from Naples, which bears very little resemblance to the Ragù alla Bolognese on of the North (aside from the long cooking time), was originally flavored with meat, but I have used dried porcini mushrooms instead, with great success.
This is a wonderful winter sauce for pasta and ravioli-- rich and deeply satisfying. It is my favorite for lasagne, as well. Actually, it's worth your while to double or triple the recipe and freeze some-- you'll find many uses for it.
BATTUTO:
1 large onion
1 small carrot, peeled
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 stalk celery with leaves
1 T. olive oil
SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1 c. dry red wine (can be non-alcoholic) (or 3/4 c of a “beefy” vegetarian broth plus 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar)
2 lbs. ripe plum tomatoes OR a 28 oz. can plum tomatoes and juice, passed through a food mill or processed briefly in a food processor or blender
1/2 small can (6 0z.) tomato paste
1 oz. dried porcini or boletus mushrooms, soaked 1/2 hr. in 2 c. warm water, drained and chopped (reserve and strain liquid)
1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms (white or brown), chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
1/2 T. EACH dried crushed dried basil and oregano
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. sugar
OPTIONAL: 1/4 tsp. red chile pepper flakes
freshly-ground pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: If you want a “meaty” lasagne and you aren’t using the “meatballs” and/or “sausage”(see main recipe, above) , add 2 c. veg “hamburger crumbles” or ground seitan to the ragu as it cooks.
To make the battuto, chop the vegetables finely with a sharp knife or food processor, then heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chopped vegetables and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until they are soft.
Add the remaining ingredients (including the strained porcini soaking broth) and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer, partially covered, for about two hours (stirring every so often), or until the sauce has cooked down. Taste for seasoning.
BRYANNA’S QUICK TOFU "RICOTTA CHEESE" makes three generous cups
1 and 1/2 lbs. Regular medium-firm tofu, drained and well-mashed
1/2 c. plus 1 T. soymilk
3/4 tsp. salt
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate.
BRYANNA’S DAIRY-FREE BECHAMEL OR WHITE SAUCE makes 2 c.
Double this recipe for the lasagne.
This rich-tasting sauce is actually quite low in fat. It can be used as an all-purpose white sauce in all of your cooking, and as a topping for Greek dishes, such as vegetarian moussaka, and even as a substitute for melted cheese in many casseroles. In Italy, this type of sauce is used on lasagne rather than the heavy melted cheeses in American-style lasagne.
I think this formula is a great improvement upon vegan white sauces made completely with soymilk, which I find too sweet. The tofu (or cashews) and broth cube add richness without much fat.
2 T. dairy-free margarine or extra-virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 to 3 T. unbleached flour (depending on thickness desired)
BLENDED MIXTURE:
1 c. soy, almond, or rice milk
1/2 c. extra-firm SILKEN tofu or regular medium-firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 c. water
1 "chicken-style" vegetarian broth cube (or enough for 1 c. of 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. Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.
MICROWAVE OPTION: Melt the margarine in a large microwave-safe bowl or 1 qt. Pyrex measuring beaker on HiGH for 45 seconds. Whisk in the flour and microwave on HIGH 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 HIGH for 2 minutes. Whisk. Microwave for 2 more minutes. Whisk. Microwave for 2 minutes more. Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.
IF DOUBLING THE RECIPE, use a larger bowl and increase the cooking time to 3 minutes each time.
ALLERGY NOTE: To make this sauce soy-free, omit the tofu; use 1/4 c. more rice or almond milk (1 and 1/4 in total) and use 1/4 c. raw cashews instead of the tofu. Since the cashews have a thickening effect, use less flour. Use only 2 tsp. soy-free and dairy-free margarine, or use olive oil.
To make this sauce wheat-free, add the melted margarine or olive oil directly to the blended mixture, along with 1 to 4 T. white rice flour (or mochiko flour, also known as sweet/glutinous rice flour) in stead of the wheat flour (so you omit the first cooking step). 4 T. makes a very thick sauce.
To make this sauce very low-fat, leave out the margarine and simply cook the flour in a dry pan or microwave until it just starts to change color. You can use reduced fat tofu and soymilk, too, if you like.
NOTE ABOUT FREEZING: Sauces made with mochiko flour (sweet/glutinous white rice flour) are excellent for freezing (for instance, if you freeze a prepared but not baked lasagne), because the sauce will not separate when thawed.
Here’s an alternative to the more traditional Bechamel Sauce:
BRYANNA’S “WHITE CHEESE SAUCE” makes 2 generous c.
This is adapted from a recipe in my first book, “The Almost No-Fat Cookbook”. Double this recipe for the lasagne:
This sauce is delicious on steamed vegetables or macaroni, and can be used to top a casserole and broiled or baked to brown the top a little.
1 c. water 1 medium potato (about 4 oz.), peeled and chunked
1/2 a medium onion, peeled and chunked
1/3 c. raw cashew pieces OR 1/2-3/4 c. medium-firm tofu or extra-firm SILKEN tofu
2 T. sesame tahini
1/4 c. nutritional yeast flakes
1 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic granules
Simmer the potato and onion in a small saucepan with the water, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the potato is tender. Add to the blender container with the remaining ingredients. Blend until VERY smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered for up to a week. (Reheat over gentle heat.)
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THE OTHER LASAGNE, #2:
These recipes appeared in both my books, “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen’ and “Soyfoods Cooking for a Positive Menopause”.
BRYANNA’S LASAGNE AL FORNO BOLOGNESE Serves 8
This is the traditional northern Italian lasagne, and what my husband invariably requests for his birthday dinner.
The recipe consists of pasta, vegan soy Parmesan, and two other recipes, both of which can be made ahead of time, even on different days, or earlier in the day. You can also cook the pasta sheets and refrigerate them between layers of waxed paper. Other convenient time-savers would be to use a ragù that you have made earlier and frozen, and to make the Bechamel Sauce in the microwave.
15-18 dry lasagne noodles (NOT the no-boil type)-- can be spinach or wholewheat noodles, or even a non-wheat lasagne
1 recipe Ragù alla Bolognese (5-6 c.) (see below)
1 and 1/2 times the recipe (3 c.) for thick Bechamel Sauce (see RECIPE above)
1/2-1 c. Soymage vegan soy Parmesan
If the sauces aren't made yet, make them first. The Bechamel Sauce can be cold. Cook the lasagne noodles in lots of salted boiling water until "al dente". Drain and rinse under cold water, then lay out flat between layers of waxed paper.
Oil a shallow 9x13" baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread a thin layer of ragù on the bottom of the pan. Cover that with a layer of noodles, touching. Spread a layer of ragù over that, and then a layer of Bechamel Sauce, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with some of the soy Parmesan. Repeat the layering until everything is used up, ending with a layer of Bechamel and soy Parmesan. Bake 30 minutes.
Let the dish rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares.
VARIATIONS:
#1.) For Spinach Lasagne
Add a layer of 2 c. of Easy Tofu Ricotta (below) mixed with 3 (10 oz.) pckgs. of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 3 lbs. fresh spinach, cooked, squeezed dry, and chopped), 4 cloves garlic, crushed, 1/4 tsp. freshly-grated nutmeg, salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.
#2.) For Vegetable-Ricotta Lasagne, follow the variation for Spinach Lasagne, but omit the spinach and add instead about 3-4 c. of any roasted, steamed, grilled, or sautéed vegetable, by itself, or mixed. You can use mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, etc..
BRYANNA’S RAGÙ ALLA BOLOGNESE Makes about5 c.
This ragù is the traditional topping for tagliatelle and tortellini, but you can use it on any pasta, or on polenta, gnocchi, or in a Lasagne alla Bolognese .
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. roasted sesame oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 c. vegetarian "hamburger crumbles" (I use Yves “Ground Round”)
1 and 1/2 c. vegetarian broth
2/3 c. dry red or white wine (can be dealcoholized) (or use half drywhite wine and 1/2 marsala, dry sherry, or madeira)
1 and 1/2 c. chopped fresh ripe plum tomatoes, or quickly-drained chopped or diced canned plum tomatoes, processed briefly
2 c. soymilk, heated
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp. dried rosemary
About 4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
In a medium-sized heavy pot, heat the oils together over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are soft, stirring frequently. Add the "burger" and cook for a few minutes. Add the wine and cook over high heat until it has almost evaporated. Add the broth and cook it over high heat until it reduces by at least half.
Add the tomatoes and optional herbs and cook for a few more minutes. Slowly stir in the heated soymilk, then reduce the heat to a mere simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours. Taste for salt and pepper.
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BRYANNA’S VEGAN SPANIKOPITA ROLLS (LITTLE GREEK SPINACH-FILO PIES) Makes about 48
The filling for these little pies is a bit unusual, containing such un-Greek ingredients as tofu, nutritional yeast and miso! But these unconventional ingredients give the filling a rich, feta-like taste, which is what you expect from spanikopita. (I took these to a potluck once, and they were gobbled up before the hostess even got to taste one-- no one even suspected that they were dairy-free!) If you use frozen chopped spinach, the filling takes only minutes to make, and can be made ahead (although you should make the rolls shortly before serving).
12 full sheets of filo pastry, thawed and kept covered
olive oil (can use a pump sprayer) or melted Earth Balance OR olive oil or “buttery-flavored” pan spray
FILLING:
3 (10 oz.) pckgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
OR 3 lbs. fresh spinach, cleaned, stamed, squeezed dry and chopped (you can substitute nettles, chard or other greens for all or part of the spinach)
1 and 1/2 lbs. medium-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 bunch green onions, chopped and steam-fried until soft
1/4 c. light miso
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
2 T. dry dillweed (or 1/2 c. fresh, chopped)
1 tsp. salt
Prepare the filling (you can do this a day or two ahead of time) by mixing the tofu, miso, salt and yeast together in a large bowl very well. Use your hands, a potato masher or a fork. Add the dill, the steam-fried green onions and the squeezed-dry cooked or frozen spinach and mix well.
To fill the rolls,
Stack 3 sheets of filo together , brushing or spraying each layer with oil or marge of choice, and cut the stack into four 6x5" rectangles with a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining filo. You should have 48 rectangles. Keep the filo well-covered with plastic wrap while you work. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For each spanikopita, place about 3 T. filling in one corner of a rectangle of filo. Roll the filled corner toward the center, then fold in the left and right corners, like an envelope, then roll up again. Cover the filled spanikopita with plastic wrap while you finish.
Place the filled rolls, seam-side-down, on nonstick or lightly-oiled dark cookie sheets. Brush or spray the tops with oil or melted earth Balance. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.
