Veggie Noodle Lasagna with Tofu “Ricotta”

Ingredients:

I made this recipe in a small 9×9 pan. If you’re making  it in a  9X13 double everything. (or at least 1.5 everything)

2 C. basic tomato sauce. I use this recipe

2 small or one large eggplant sliced into ½ inch thick slices (I used a v slicer)

1 C. silken tofu

1 C. extra firm tofu

1 T. white wine vinegar

2 T parsley

1 T thyme

Lots of pepper (to taste)

½ cup couscous (I used whole wheat)

2 zucchini cut into thin ribbons (again, V-slicer)

~1 ½ C. Not-meatball mixture, or crumbled not meatballs

Optional (about ½ cup parmesan cheese)

Instructions:

1. Slice eggplant in ½ inch rounds arrange over a cooling rack set on a baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Let sit for an hour or two. After the first hour, flip them over so the water can drip off.
2. Make “ricotta”. Combine tofu (both kinds), white wine vinegar, parsley thyme and lots of pepper in the food processor. Process until smooth. Add ½ cup dry couscous to the ricotta mixture.
3. Rinse eggplant thoroughly and pat dry. I was worried about moisture in the veggies so I broiled the eggplant for a few minutes in the oven until it started to brown. You could probably skip that step.
4. Scramble not-meatball mixture in a dry non-stick skillet. Let it brown a little and caramelize. (like you would ground beef for lasagna.
5. Sauce, eggplant, ½ not-meat mixture, not-ricotta mixture, zucchini noodles, sauce, not meat mixture, rest of ricotta mixture, rest of veggies. My top layer was half eggplant, half zucchini. Cover veggies with remaining sauce. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. If you’re only 90% vegan, top with parmesan cheese for the last 10 minutes. If you are 100% vegan one could top with breadcrumbs mixed with  a little olive oil for toasty crunch.
6. Let the whole thing sit for half an hour before cutting.

Cook’s notes:

There’s lots of note-like instructions here because I made this up as I went, and I’ll probably refine this next time I make it. I love the texture of the final product, but it’s a little salty. I may not have gotten my eggplant rinsed enough, and/or may have oversalted it to start with. I also put some parm in the “ricotta”. I won’t bother next time, it doesn’t need it. Fight the urge to put salt in the ricotta mix. between the sauce and the eggplant I don’t think it needs it.  Either the ricotta or the sauce could use some well drained frozen spinach to up the veggies and the body of this, but if you have the meatballs and the sauce as components already, this comes together in about 20 minutes (minus the salting/draining of the eggplant.) I also, if I was bulking this up, might do a layer of portabello mushroom “noodles” sliced thin like the zucchini and roasted or pan seared before layering into the mix. There is never enough mushrooms in my world. My biggest problem with veggie noodle lasagna is that it’s soopy and doesn’t form layers. This one is not soupy and layers like lasagna. I was so happy with the method, even though I blew the salt level.

I’ll probably edit this recipe when I make it again. Or if Justin makes it before I do, we can compare notes and revise.

But it was super satisfying without being heavy. It tastes like lasagna.