Chef Johan's Raw & Tasty

Archive for the ‘Italian’ Category

Raw food can be EASY!

Spiralizers can be found for sale HERE.

Very satisfing and versatile.
Serves 4-6

Cheese Filling
2 C almonds, soaked and sprouted with outer skins removed
1/2 C cold filtered water
1 tsp Herbs of Province
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 tsp dried onion powder
1/4 tsp dried garlic powder
dash of white pepper
1/4 tsp good quality probiotic powder (optional)

- 2 fresh zucchini, sliced very thin with a mandoline
- marinara of your choice
- marinated mushrooms

Preparation:
Combine almonds and water in a high-powered blender and process until the almonds are soft and “fluffy.” The texture will be very similar to ricotta cheese. Remove from container and place in a small mixing bowl. Stir in remaining cheese ingredients mixing well. You may use this mixture as-is or continue.

If you choose to make a true “raw cheese”, add the probiotics and stir well. Place mixture in a double layer of cheese cloth and gently tighten the around the cheese. Place in a small colander and set in a corner of your kitchen to all the fermenting process to take place – about 4-5 hours. Be sure to place a bowl or plate underneath the colander to catch any liquids (whey) that will release.

Remove the cheese cloth and place in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about three to four days.

Once the cheese is ready, you can finish putting the dish together. Place about 2 T of the cheese in the center of a slice of zucchini and roll it up. Topping with your favorite raw marinara and marinated mushrooms.

Yummy!

Recipe provided by Purely Delicious Magazine

For the Zucchini “Pasta”

1 med Zucchini

In spiral slicer, slice zucchini into long thin slices resembling spaghetti. May be made up to three days in advance.

For the Marinara Sauce

6 small Roma Tomatoes
6 sun dried tomatoes (in oil)
3 pitted dates
1 tbsp of chopped garlic. (I prefer Elephant Garlic because it has less smell)
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of Nama Shoyu or 2 tsp of Celtic Sea Salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme

Add all the ingredients except for the basil, oregano, and thyme into the blender; puree. Mix the herbs into the the puree on the lowest setting. May be made a few days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Great for quick everyday meals or as a dip.

For Zucchini Marinara Grezzo, combine Marinara with Zucchini Pasta. Toss to coat. Garnish as desired. Serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Garden Lasagna Grezzo

Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
2 cups sun dried tomatoes soaked for 6 hrs.
7 roma tomatoes
4 garlic gloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. red or yellow onion
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. dried basil
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbs. agave nectar or 3 pitted dates

Mushroom layer
3-4 cups mushrooms (sliced)
3 tbs. or more of raw soy sauce or 1 tbs. miso and 2 tbs. water
2 tbs. olive oil

Noodle sheets & marinated veggies
4 zucchini

1/2 small onion sliced really thin
1 red bell pepper sliced really thin
1 yellow bell pepper sliced really thin
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. lemon juice

Herb Ricotta Cheeze
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup mac nuts
2 tbs. pine nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh basil, dill, oregano, parsley, etc..
1 cup and 2 tbs. of water, or less

1 cup spinach
1/2 cup chopped drained raw olives
1/2 cup fresh basil

Methods/steps
How to tomato sauce: Blend everything together till smooth. Set aside.

How to mushrooms: Marinate mushrooms in the soy sauce for 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

How to noodle sheets and marinated veggies: Cut the zucchini on a mandolin into into wide, paper-thin slices. Set aside. Combine the onion and the bell pepper in a bowl with the oil, lemon juice and salt and let marinate for 16hrs in the fridge.

How to cheeze: Combine everything in a food processor and process till smooth. Add more water to give it a ricotta cheeze consistency, add less water if too watery. When smooth, put into a glass bowl, cover it with a moist terry cloth towel and set it out for 6 hrs. at room temp. After 6 hrs. keep it refrigerated till ready to use.

Making the lasagna: Put thin slices of the zucchini on the bottom of a glass lasagna pan. Top this layer with a thin layer of the ricotta cheeze, top the cheeze layer with a layer of mushrooms, then again the zucchini, top that layer with the tomato sauce, top the tomato sauce layer with a layer of the sliced onions, red and yellow peppers, top that with a layer of more zucchini slices, layer on top of that with more ricotta cheese, then top it with a layer of the spinach leaves, top that with mushrooms, and then some marinated sliced onions, red and yellow peppers, then again with the zucchini and then top the whole thing with the tomato sauce and garnish the top with chopped olives and fresh basil leaves. Now, cover (plastic wrap) the lasagna and place it into the fridge to set up, about 3-5 hours. 

That’s it! It looks kinda hard, but if you break it down, it’s really easy. You and your family are worth it! Make it once or twice a week. Add marinated eggplant as one of the layers, or your favorite veggie. You can cut a piece and put it into the dehydrator so it will get warm and then serve it. Raw food doesn’t have to be served cold. Enjoy!