Saturday, September 13, 2008

Lasagna Rolls

I saw something like this in a poster at the grocery store a while ago and thought it looked like a really good idea. Apparently, it is a very good idea because Carrie over at Adventures in Vegetarianism made a very similar dish a few night ago. This is a perfect way to enjoy lasagna on a week night without all the work and fuss of regular lasagna. You could add whatever you wanted to the rolls, but I have kept it very simple. We were lucky enough to have a bunch of fresh basil from my father-in-law which really made all the difference.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4-5
- 1 recipe tofu ricotta made with 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 8 lasagna noodles
- 2 jars spaghetti sauce (nothing too chunky)
- vegan mozzarella cheese (I use Tofutti slices--trans fat free here in Canada)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. Cook noodles for 5-7 mins. They should still be firm (i.e. too firm to eat) but soft enough to roll. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, and pat dry with a towel.
2. While noodles are cooking, make the tofu ricotta. Heat sauce to bubbling in a saucepan. Put half of the sauce into an 8 x 11.5" baking dish.
3. Spread 1/8 of the filling over 3/4 the length of a lasagna noodle. Roll up, starting with the end with the filling. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling.
4. Cover rolls with remaining sauce (you may not need it all). Cover and bake for 30 mins, or until sauce is bubbling away and pasta has swelled. Uncover, top with cheese, and bake until cheese has melted. Serve, topped with any remaining sauce for those who would like it.