PPN Pea lasagne

I had brunch with a friend today who asked what I had been cooking lately. Sadly, I had to tell him not a lot was going on in my kitchen recently. Very little in the way of new ideas. Some good old ones. My most creative moments have come with lasagne.

I recently made a lovely chana masala with the leftovers going into a potato and carrot mash. Tonight I made a great stew on soft polenta a bit like this dish but with more vegetables and beans. Not all my recent efforts have been successful. I have had mushy rice-noodle soup, an underseasoned miso soup (which wasn’t so bad for a headache) and oversweet pancakes.

After my delicious tofu-ricotta, pumpkin and zucchini lasagne, I had 'fresh' lasagne sheets left in the fridge. (Not quite enough for the lasagne as you can see in my photo but close enough!) It occurred to me to use it to make dumplings or cannelloni but in the end I went for the easy option and made more lasagne. I also used up leftover tofu, pesto, passata and cashews!

[Cashews!!! So that is where those cashews went! I spent quite a bit of time this evening looking for them.]

I hadn’t been to the shops so I was using what was at hand. Peas from the freezer were the main vegetable. Partly because I didn’t have many other vegetables and partly because I have been thinking about making a pea filled pasta ever since seeing this pea cannelloni and these pea dumplings. I used some silken tofu in the filling and then rather than having leftovers I decided to make a tofu sour cream. It also seemed easier than making a béchamel sauce.

E loved this lasagne. He preferred it to the tofu ricotta one because it was creamier and had a tomato sauce. I enjoyed it but preferred the previous one because it was lighter and seemed to have more vegetables. In fact if I had had any fresh tomatoes on hand I would have used them instead of the tomato sauce. I also preferred the crispy crunchy topping of the tofu ricotta lasagne. But peas and pasta seem a fine combination so below is what I did.

I am sending this lasagne to Val of More than Burnt Toast. She is hosting this week’s Presto Pasta Night (#182), the blog event for pasta lovers founded by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: MM Heirloom Ginger Fluff Sponge
This time two years ago: A bloody tale of burritos and beans

Pea lasagna
serves 4

Pea filling:

• 2 cups peas (I used frozen)
• 150g soft tofu
• ½ cup almonds, ground
• 45g cashews, ground
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp pesto
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• juice of half a smallish lemon
• few drops of tabasco sauce
  

Tomato sauce (or used sliced tomatoes):

• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 350ml passata
• 2-3 tbsp red wine
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp balsamic vinegar
• ¼ tsp maple syrup
• good pinch salt
  

Tofu sour cream:

• 150g soft tofu
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp umeboshi vinegar
• ½ tsp mirin
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• pinch of salt
  

To assemble:

• 200-300g lasagne sheets (I used 'fresh')
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• grated cheese (optional - I used about 50g)

To make pea filling, blend ingredients together in a food processor.

To make tomato sauce fry onion in olive oil in a frypan until browned. Add garlic and continue frying for a minute. Deglaze with wine. Add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.

To make tofu sour cream: blend all ingredients in a food processor.

Grease a lasagne dish and spread a spoonful or two along the bottom of the dish. Lay lasagne sheets on top. Spread pea filling. Top with more lasagne sheets. Repeat pea and lasagne sheets layers. Spread tomato sauce over lasagne sheets. Dollop sour cream over the tomato sauce and gently spread evenly over the tomato sauce with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with cheese and seeds. Bake at 210 C for 40-45 minutes until golden and crispy on top.

On the stereo:
Baalstorm, Sing Omega: Current 93