Neka’s half-Italian side loves this dish, as it fulfills her lasagne cravings without any lymph-system-clogging dairy or carb-laden noodles.
Raw Lasagne
FOR THE CASHEW RICOTTA
1 cup (5 1/2 oz/ 170 g) cashews, soaked in filtered water to cover for 2 hours, drained, and rinsed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 small clove garlic
1/3 cup (3 fl oz / 80 ml) filtered water
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
2 cups (6 oz / 185 g) dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in 3 cups (24 fl oz /570 ml) water for 5 hours and drained, with water reserved
7 fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup (2 fl oz / 60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut palm sugar
2 zucchini, each about 6 inches (15 cm) long
2 large heirloom tomatoes
Large handful fresh basil leaves
To make the cashew ricotta: in a blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend on high speed for about 30 seconds. The mixture should be smooth and quite thick. You can add a little more water if it seems too thick. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until it firms up, about 15 minutes. It should be the consistency of real ricotta cheese.
To make the tomato sauce: in a clean blender, combine the soaked tomatoes, 2 cups (16 fl oz / 500 ml) of the soaking water, the basil, garlic, oil, salt, and sugar, and process until smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the soaking water until a nice consistency is achieved. If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the soaking water until a nice consistency is achieved.
Using a mandoline, cut the zucchini into wide ribbons. Cut the tomatoes crosswise into slices 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
To assemble the lasagne, on a platter, layer one-third of the zucchini slices. Spread one-third of the tomato sauce evenly over the zucchini layer, then spread one-third of the cashew ricotta over the tomato sauce. Top with a few bail leaves and one-third of the tomato slices. Repeat the layers twice, ending with tomato slices. Top with additional basil leaves. Cover and refrigerate uneaten portions for up to 3 days.
Makes 4 servings.
From The Urban Remedy Cookbook.
