Another weekend, another day and another cozy comfort food therapy addition! Good thing all the gyms are closed, no one is wearing real pants and we just keep eating…can’t wait for summer!
Any who, whatevs, like I say, eat the food, drink the drink and wear the sweatpants! This Prosciutto Pesto Lasagna is grain and dairy free and oh so delicious! You will not miss the gluten and cheese in this recipe! It’s like your grandma’s lasagna only amped up and modernized to accommodate everybody’s food intolerances.
Just because you can’t have gluten, are Paleo, or the lactose got you down, doesn’t mean you can’t partake in this ultimate comfort food that is lasagna! It’s times like these you crave those memories that food carries you too! Whether it’s a family classic, a trip you took, or a certain smell that evokes those cozy thoughts. My grandma was a really good cook and made a delicious lasagna. When we were kids, my mom had surgery and my grandma made a giant pan of her homemade lasagna for when my mom got out of the hospital. Well, I wouldn’t be able to tell you how good it was because my mom got home and ate the entire pan in one sitting! She’s like 5-foot nothin’ and 105 pounds back in the day! Ha, well can’t blame her. Good food made by her mommy to make her feel better after being sick is all you need!
This lasagna is all you need during these times too. You don’t have to have any restrictions to eat the whole pan of this and not apologize for it! It is pretty simple, just a few components to build, so takes some time. So, it’s perfect for well, any day of the week now. I used Cappello’s Grain Free Lasagna Noodles, jazzed up Kite Hill Almond Ricotta, made a cashew bechamel and my yummy simple homemade marinara sauce! The pesto, prosciutto and baby bella mushrooms elevate this homey dish to satisfy even the most sophisticated of palates! The creaminess of the bechamel and the almond ricotta, coupled with the saltiness of the prosciutto and flavor bomb of pesto will take your taste buds on the trip of a lifetime all in the comfort of your quarantined home!
Creamy, dreamy cashew béchamel!
Layers of pesto, prosciutto and mushrooms! Topped off with the Almond ricotta!
Top layer with that cashew béchamel and dotted with more marinara!
Fresh out of the oven!
Three layers of goodness!
Saucy!
Stay strong (by lifting this pan of lasagna, it’s heavy ), stay home and stay sane with good old fashioned (with an updated twist) comfort food. No actual travel plans for us anytime soon so send your buds, your mind and your attitude on a trip this weekend with food! So, bake up this Prosciutto Pesto Lasagna this weekend and eat the whole pan if you want! Hey, don’t they say the calories consumed while quarantined don’t really count!! Seems accurate.
Happy Weekending It & Eating the Whole Pan of Lasagnaing!
Diane
- 1 Box Cappello's Grain Free Lasagna Sheets thawed in the fridge overnight
- 4oz package of prosciutto
- 1 jar of dairy free pesto (I use Seggiano Fresh Basil Pesto)
- 16oz package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 16oz Kite Hill Almond Ricotta
- ¼ cup boxed unsweetened coconut milk (or any non-dairy milk of choice)
- ½ cup diced sundried tomatoes (dry or in oil)
- 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. dried parsley
- For the Cashew Béchamel:
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for 2 hours or boiled for 10 minutes)
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tbsp. chickpea miso
- 2 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. sea salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¾ to 1 cup hot water
- For the Marinara Sauce:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. of salt plus more to taste
- A few grinds of black pepper
- One box 26.4oz of strained tomatoes pomi tomato sauce
- ½ a yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. of molasses (can sub honey or date nectar)
- For the Cashew Bechamel:
- In the container of a high-speed blender add the cashews and lemon juice. Blend on medium for a minute or two. Scrape down the sides of the blender. Add the rest of your ingredients starting with ¾ cups of water. Blend on high until smooth. If sauce is too thick add the other ¼ cup of water. Taste and adjust salt. Pour into small bowl and set aside.
- Can be made the day before.
- For the Sauce:
- In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions. Add the Italian spices and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another two minutes. Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add salt and a few grinds of black pepper and mix to combine. Add the molasses and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and partially cover. Allow to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning. Can be made a few days ahead stored in airtight container in the fridge.
- Sautee the Mushrooms:
- While the sauce is simmering spray a large skillet with olive oil spray and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook stirring frequently until tender, around 8 to 10 minutes.
- Assemble the Lasagna:
- Makes three layer lasagna.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and grab a 8x8 square pan.
- Take the lasagna sheets out and line them up next the pan and cut down sheets to evenly fit the length of your pan.
- Mix the almond ricotta with the diced sundried tomatoes, coconut milk and dried parsley. Set aside.
- Spoon a few scoops of the marinara into the bottom of the pan and spread out to evenly coat the pan. Lay two lasagna strips down over the sauce. Next using an off-set spatula or knife, spread a couple tablespoons of pesto over the lasagna sheets. Add some strips of prosciutto over the top and add some mushrooms on top. Then spoon a few large scoops of the almond ricotta over top and smooth over with knife or off-set spatula and spoon a few scoops of the cashew béchamel over the top. Repeat this process for the second layer. Top the second layer with the lasagna sheets, spoon more marinara sauce over them, then spoon the rest of the béchamel over the marinara then dollop with the remaining marinara over the top of the béchamel. Sprinkle with dried parsley and Italian seasoning if desired.
- Cover with tinfoil and bake on middle rack for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit to set for about 10 minutes.
- Slice, serve and enjoy! Store leftovers covered in fridge for up to 3 days.
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