Vegan Eggplant Parmesan with Cashew Ricotta

Simple and amazing. This is a great go-to for an enjoyable vegan dinner

SERVES 4

Equipment: Large skillet or frying pan, chopping board, chefs knife, spoon, blender, oven, mixing bowl, baking tray, food processor.

Total Time: 60 minutes

 

Ingredients:

 

  • Eggplant
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1⁄2 medium onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 28 ounces can crush or diced tomatoes • 2 large eggplants
  • salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves torn into large pieces • 1 recipe Cashew Ricotta (see below)
  • 1 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 1⁄2 cup non-flavoured, non-dairy milk

Cashew Ricotta

  • 3⁄4 cup raw cashew pieces (4 ounces) • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained • 1⁄2 tsp salt
  • 2 grinds of black pepper

 

Method:

To make Eggplant:

  1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent (about 4-5 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook, stirring occasionally until thick, 25-30 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth
  2. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with a little olive oil.
  3. Trim the ends of the eggplants, then cut the eggplants lengthwise into 1⁄4 inch thick slices. Place the non-dairy milk in a bowl and the bread crumbs on a plate. Dip each slice into non-dairy milk and then into the bread crumbs until each slice is coated lightly in the crumbs. In a large skillet, heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Put as many eggplant slices as will fit in the skillet and cook until golden brown, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
  4. Stir the oregano and 1 tablespoon of the parsley into the cashew ricotta.
  5. Spread one-fourth of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan, then arrange one-third of the eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Sprinkle one-third of basil leaves over the eggplant, Spread one-third of the cashew ricotta (about 1⁄2 cup) evenly over the basil leaves. Repeat the layers two more times: sauce, eggplant, basil and cashew ricotta. Spread the remaining sauce over the last layer of cashew ricotta. If you have some extra bread-crumbs, you can also sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top to give it a crunchy top.
  6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the juices are bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Cashew Ricotta

  1. In a food processor, combine cashews, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, tofu, 1⁄2 tsp salt and 2 grinds of pepper. Process until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Set aside.