This is a great recipe to have fun with on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I’ve kept to a pretty standard (albeit vegan) Italian recipe, as overseen by my Sicilian boyfriend. I’ve been lectured many times about messing with Italian recipes – and scolded for adding mushrooms to Ragu. But I think you can add what you want! Mushrooms, lentils, peppers, whatever. Food is meant to be experimented with, it’s always good to trust your instincts and tastebuds! The Sicilian is outraged as I’m writing this.
Recipe
Feeds 6
Ingredients
For the Ragu
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion
- 2 large carrots
- 2 large celery sticks
- 200g peas
- 500g vegan soy mince (we use Tesco’s own)
- 600g passata
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 150 ml vegan red wine (we use Chianti)
- A dash of vegan port
- A dash of sugar – to taste
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
For the Béchamel
- 100g vegan butter (we use Pure sunflower spread)
- 1 litre Oatly milk
- 100g plain flour
- 2 tsp nutmeg
For the Pasta
- 10 lasagne sheets
For the parmesan topping
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup nutritional yeast (Holland and Barrett)
- 1 tsp salt
We usually use Violife cheese for the topping, but this cheese is a healthier alternative
Method
For the Ragu
1. Finely dice the onions and fry in the olive oil. Next, dice the carrots and celery and add to the onions until softened.
2. Next, add the mince and cook for a few minutes. Then add the wine and port and cook until evaporated.
3. Add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and sugar and cook on a low heat for at least an hour.
For the Béchamel
4. Warm the milk on a low heat. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat, then add the flour and whisk until it has a paste like texture.
5. Then using a ladle, slowly add the warmed milk, still whisking, until smooth and creamy. Allow to cook gently until thickened.
Layering the Lasagne
6. Using a ladle, spread an even layer of the Ragu on the bottom of a 30x20cm oven proof dish.
7. Using another ladle, spread a layer of the Béchamel onto the Ragu.
8. Next, add the pasta sheets to cover the Ragu and Béchamel – break up bits of the pasta sheets so the dish is covered. Using a pastry brush, cover each sheet in water.
9. Repeat until there are a couple of centimetres left at the top of the oven dish, finishing with one more layer of pasta and a layer of Ragu. Finish by covering in a layer of the walnut parmesan.
10. Cover in tin foil and bake for 45mins – 1 hour until golden brown on top.
Health Benefits
There are plenty of health benefits in Ragu. Almost all the ingredients are packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A great dish to have when you’re immune system needs a pick-me-up.
If you choose to use the nut parmesan, there are also plenty of benefits. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 and antioxidants, they also help promote brain function and a healthy gut. Nutritional yeast is a fantastic source of all the B-vitamins, which are the building blocks of a healthy body. They play a vital role in maintaining energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism.
Tofu Travels 