This luscious Italian casserole is based on whole grain pasta with seasoned tofu “cheese” sauce and a vegetable sauce based on carrots and beets instead of tomatoes. Italian Red Sauce resembles tomato sauce in texture, appearance, and even flavor. The Italian White Sauce satisfies the desire for dairy foods, especially cheese, and for rich Italian flavors.
Italian Red Sauce (makes 2 ½-3 ½ cups)
1 pound (3 cups) carrots and/or winter squash, thinly sliced
1 small-medium beet, thinly sliced
Water
1 bay leaf
2-4 tablespoons natural soy sauce, miso, umeboshi vinegar, OR sauerkraut juice
1 ½ teaspoons each basil and oregano
*Carrots and/or winter squash such as sweetmeat or buttercup have the best flavors for the red sauce. This is a nice way to use pumpkin, but the flavor is milder.
- Pressure cook vegetables in ½ cup water with bay leaf for 5 minutes
- Discard bay leaf and transfer ingredients to processor or blender with the remaining seasonings.
- Puree until smooth adding water to desired texture, about 1 cup
Italian White Sauce (makes 3-4 cups)
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Water
4 large cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 pound tofu, fresh
2 tablespoons natural soy sauce
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1 tablespoon each basil and oregano
- Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onions briefly
- Add 2 tablespoons water and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are almost soft (about 5 minutes)
- Add garlic, and remaining ingredients.
- Cover to cook for about 5 minutes.
- Puree until creamy smooth, adding water to desired texture, about ½ cup
Assembling the Lasagna
2 ½-3 cups Italian Red Sauce
3 cups Italian White Sauce
½ pound whole-wheat lasagna noodles, broken into thirds
4 quarts (16 cups) water
2 tablespoons parsley, minced for garish
- Prepare noodles: Boil to al dente (soft yet firm), about 15-20 minutes
- Run noodles under cool water, drain and set aside to cool
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spread red sauce over the bottom of a 8-inch square baking dish
- Add a single layer of noodles
- Cover noodles with white sauce
- Repeat layers: red sauce, pasta, white sauce, pasta ending with red sauce
- There will be 4 layers of pasta, 3 of red sauce & 2 of white sauce
- Bake casserole for ½ hour & garnish with parley
*Noodles may be left uncooked, however be sure the top layer of red sauce is thick enough to completely submerge the noodles. Bake covered for 45 minutes, then uncovered for 15 additional minutes.
