Vegan Rawsagna

It's an Italian classic. Sort of. Grandma would approve.

Comments

"You can also feel free to add your favorite ingredients to the Rawsagna — fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and sun-dried olives are all delicious additions. You can add them on top as garnishes or create new layers — for instance, a layer of spinach between the squash and the Rawcotta."

Many people think of traditional lasagna as a difficult dish to make, but it’s not really. It’s just takes a little time to prepare the components in advance, and then you just layer them in a baking dish. This is a super easy and delicious raw version that will amaze your guests. If you use a mandoline to cut the squash, please be very careful not to cut yourself! Mandolines are notorious for being dangerous, and after all, we are trying to keep this a vegan dish!"

-Rod Rontondi, author of Raw Food for Real People: Living Vegan Food Made Simple by the Chef and Founder of Leaf Organics.

SERVES
One 9-by-13-inch pan

INGREDIENTS

For the “Pasta"
8 medium yellow summer squash
1/2 cup cold-pressed olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup lemon juice
Sea salt

For the Rawcotta Cheeze
1 medium lemon, peeled and quartered
3 medium cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 8 cup)
3 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup water, plus extra for blending
1/2 cup soaked cashews (soaked 2 hours, drained, and rinsed)
1/2 cup soaked pine nuts (soaked 2 hours, drained, and rinsed)
2 cups Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup Cheeze Sauce and 2 cup Rawmesan Cheeze for garnishing (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. To prepare the "pasta": Cut off the ends of the squash and use a mandoline or a sharp knife to cut it into long, flat slices about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. (A knife will work if you don’t have a mandoline, but making thin, uniform slices with a knife is a challenge.) Pour the olive oil over these and sprinkle with oregano, basil, lemon juice, and a little sea salt, and toss well to coat. This will soften up the squash and give it a more pastalike texture.

2. To make the Rawcotta Cheeze: Put the lemon first, then the garlic, parsley, onion, olive oil, salt, and 1/2 cup water, in a blender and blend well. Slowly add the cashews and pine nuts while blending, adding water as needed, and continue blending until the mixture is the consistency of ricotta cheese.

3. To assemble the Rawsagna: Use a 9-by-13-inch lasagna pan that is not too deep. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of squash. Next, top the squash with a layer of Rawcotta, then add a layer of marinara on top of that. Repeat the layering until you run out of ingredients. The number of layers will depend on how thick you make each layer; I usually do 2 or 3 layers of each. Finish with marinara. Drizzle on the Cheeze Sauce and sprinkle on the Rawmesan Cheeze, if using. Place the pan in a dehydrator and dehydrate just enough to warm through (about 45 minutes), and serve. Delizioso!

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