Vegan Aubergine Lasagne

It probably is because of my Italian roots but the fact that I love lasagne is a sure thing.

You won't believe me if I say that this is the first time ever I tried a version with aubergine as the only filling.. and that turned out pretty good I must say!

Ingredients for 6 (or greedy 4) servings:

12 Egg-Free Lasagne Sheets

2 medium Aubergines

1 Onion

10 to 15 Cherry Tomatoes*

350 ml Italian Passata*

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

1 Garlic Clove

100 gr Grated Mozzarella

Basil Leaves

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

... for the Beschamelle sauce ...

500 ml Plant Based Milk (Oat)

30 gr Vegetable Oil

30 gr Plain Flour

30 gr Nutritional Yeast (Nooch)

1 ts Salt

1/2 ts Nutmeg

* you can only use 500 ml Italian Passata. I love to use both passata and fresh tomatoes because it gives the sauce a fresher kick.

 1) TOMATO SAUCE:
Roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a microwave friendly bowl with olive oil and salt to taste. 

Microwave for 3 minutes at 800 W.

Add passata, pepper, basil leaves, onion and garlic powder.

Microwave for 6 more minutes at 800 W.

2) FILLING:

Wash onion and aubergines. 

Chop and sauté the onion with olive oil, salt and a splash of water for around 10ish minutes. Than add the garlic clove, grated.

In the meantime cut the aubergine into cubes. Combine with the onion (once it became translucent) and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and set aside.

3) BESCHAMELLE SAUCE:

Combine oil and flour in a microwave friendly bowl and heat for 30 seconds at 800 W.
Gently combine milk (a spalsh at a time), salt, and microwave for another 3 minutes at 800 W.
Stir with a whisk (sauce should be thickened a bit) and add the rest of the ingredients. 

Mix well and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes more. Blend one more time and set aside.

4) ASSEMBLING:

In a tray pour a few tablespoons of tomato sauce.

Place as many lasagna sheets as to cover the entire bottom.

Cover with a layer of aubergine (half of them) first...

 ...then pour some tomato and beschamelle sauce. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese. Repeat another layer (lasagne sheets, aubergine, tomato sauce, beschamelle and mozzarella).

Top with some beschamelle and tomato sauce and do a little swirl with the back of a spoon.

Pre-heat the oven on 180° and bake for 40 minutes (pierce with a skewer or a fork to make sure lasagne is cooked thoroughly).

Enjoy :)

Aubergine Katzu Curry - Vegan & Gluten Free

Sometimes all you need is a warm and tasty treat, and if this treat is also both homemade and quick: BINGO!

This is the case indeed. You can make it even quicker using some breaded mock chicken, breaded vegan burgers or whatever you like will do :) 
Even "plain", with some jasmine or basmati rice is quite a thing. A real comfort food, perfect to be enjoyed after a long and tiring day at work.

The version I'm about to show you is with mouthwatering aubergine disks coated in corn flakes (because this is also a gluten free version - but if you don't need to avoid gluten you should definetely use panko bread instead, as in the authentic japanese version) and oven baked. 
Of course you can also fry the aubergine, but I preferred to keep it lighter this time.

Ingredients (4 servings):
1 Aubergine
1 Onion
1 large Potato
5-6 Closed Cup Mushrooms
1 cup of Green Peas (frozen in my case)
1 clove of Garlic
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon of Tomato Purè
1/2 cup of White Wine (optional)
2-3 tablespoons of Curry Powder
1 teaspoon of Ginger Powder (fresh would be even better)
3 to 4 tablespoons of Gluten Free Flour
1 liter of Vegetable Stock
2 cups of Plant Based Milk (oat)
1 cup of Corn Flakes (crushed)
1 pinch of Tumeric
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:
1) THE CURRY

Rinse and chop the vegs for the curry: potato, mushrooms and onion.
First sautè the onion for around 10 minutes with some olive oil and salt...

...then add the vegs and the green peas. 

Cook for a couple of minutes, add the vine and let it evaporate.

Now it's time to throw in: garlic (grated), bay leaves, tomato puré, ginger. After another 2 to 3 minutes pour in the broth, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegs are tender.

2) KATZU AUBERGINE

Wash and cut discs of about 1 inch.

In a bowl combine flour, salt, pepper and a pinch of tumeric. Add slowly some plant based milk until you reach a runny yet thick batter.

Pour the cornflakes crumbs on a plate and get ready to coat!

Dip the aubergine discs in the batter first, then coat them in corn flakes. Place onto a baking tray, sprinkle with some vegetable oil and bake at 180-200° for 30ish minutes, turning the discs halfway.

3) THE CHOUX
Choux is important to thicken the curry. You can buy it ready from an asian shop (though that's hardly gluten free) or you can easily make your own in just a couple of minutes.

In a pan combine 2 tablespoons of (GF)flour, 1 tablespoon of curry powder and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Cook at medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until you reach the consistency of the last picture.

Once the vegs are tender gently pour the milk in the pan where the choux is, and combine until it's runny and lumpsless.

Combine the choux mixture with the curry and allow to thicken for some extra 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve hot with some steamed jasmine rice, aubergine discs and paprika.

Enjoy :)

Vegan Mushrooms and Beans Burgers

Hello everyone! Today I'm very pleased to share with you this amazing burger recipe, 100% plant based.

For 6 Burgers:

8 to 10 Closed Cup Mushrooms

1 can of Mixed Beans

1 handful of dried Porcini Mushrooms

1 jar of Mushroom Paste (optional)

4-5 tablespoons of Gluten Flour (or chickpeas flower for a GF version)

1/2 Onion

1 clove of Garlic

2 tablespoons of Liquid Smoke (optional)

1/2 teaspoon of Curry Powder

1 tablespoon of dried Parsley

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Dice the onion and place it on a plate with olive oil, salt and a splash of water.

Microwave for 4 to 5 mins at 800 W.

Wash and roughly chop the mushrooms. Blend with a food processor and transfer in a bowl.

Drain and rinse the beans and pour them in the blender. Add the onion, the garlic and the dried porcini mushroom (after soaking them in water for 10-15 mins)

Blend for a few seconds then add some liquid smoke for extra flavour.

Transfer the bean paste in the bowl with the mushrooms and combine the extra mushroom paste together with all the spices (curry, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper). Mix well then add some gluten flour.

Please note that the quantity of gluten may vary depending on how wet your mixture is. Make sure you achieve the consistency below :)

Allow the mixture to set for at least a 10ish mins. 
Now it's finally time to shape the burgers!
I usually use two plastic containers: easy peasy job that helps you straightforwardly achieve the perfect burger shape!

You only need to cover the first container with some film, pour a couple of tablespoons of mixture on it, and squeeze it down with the bottom of the second container.

Et voitlà! The burgers are now ready to go in the oven at 180° for 25-30 mins.

Once they're cooked you can eat them straight away or (recommended) fry each side in a pan for a couple of minutes before enjoing them in your favourite buns, or plain with a rich side salad :)

Quick Aubergine Lasagne with Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Pesto

Are you looking for something easy and very quick to make? 
Try this tasty recipe, a treat for summer days.

Simply roast 2 aubergines, then built layers alterning 1 slice of augergine, a teaspoon of homemade pesto, 1 slice of mozzarella, few leaves of rocket and a slice of tomato. 
Repeat layers 2 times and top with a last slice of aubergine, pesto and a green olive. To help the layers remain together use a small wooden stick.

To make 6 lasagne I used:
2 Medium Aubergines 
2 Mozzarellas
3 Salad Tomatoes
1 Handful of Rocket
30 grams of Homemade Pesto
6 Green Olives

Enjoy :) 

Lebanese Moussaka with Green Peppers

As promised here's the recipe of the lebanese moussaka. Traditionally, it doesn't have green peppers in it, but the one I had in this lebanese restaurant in Greenwich a few weeks ago did, and I think they taste gourgeous!

Ingredients are few, and making this dish is really simple and quick, as long as you have all things prepared, like the roasted aubergines, which you can do up to two days in advance.

This is great to be eaten both as a starter and as a main dish.

Here follow what you need to replicate it:

2 Roasted Aubergines (CLICK HERE)

15-20 Long Green Peppers

1 can of Chickpeas

1 can of Chopped Tomatoes

1 Big Shallot

2 Gloves of Garlic

3 tbs of Tomato Paste

3 tbs of E.V. Olive Oil

1 ts of Smoked Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh Parsley

Preheat the oven at 200°.

Wash the peppers, then cut them in half and get rid of the seeds.

Place the peppers on a tray, sprinkle on some olive oil and salt, and bake for 30 mins on grill mode, turning them half way.

In the meantime, chop the onion and the garlic and allow them to cook in a wok with some olive oil and a splash of water for about 5 mins.

Add the chopped tomatoes, the chickpeas and season with some smoked paprika, pepper and salt. Add the tomato paste and a couple of glasses of water, then cook for about 15 mins.

In the meantime peal off the skin of the aubergines and put the filets in a bowl.

Once the green peppers are cooked, add them into the wok and cook for others 15 to 20 mins. Combine the aubergines filets during the last 5 mins of cooking.

Serve your moussaka at room temperature with some fresh parsley finely chopped.

Giant Cous Cous with Butternut Squash, Feta Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This is literally one of the best cous cous I've ever made!
I think the balance between the richness of the sun dried tomatoes along with the sweetness and the bland taste of the butternut squash, and last-but-not-least the saltiness of the feta cheese gives this dish the right amount of deliciousness that will make your taste buds dance all day long!

For 2 to 3 servings:
150 grams of Giant Cous Cous
70 grams of Feta Cheese
1 Little Butternut Squash
10 Sun Dried Tomatoes (in oil)
Rosmary
E.V. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

First wash the squash... look at that, isn't it pretty? XD

I feel so sorry I have to peel you and cut into pieces, but here goes... (!) 

Place the pieces into a large tin, spread over some extra virgin olive oil and season with some rosmary, salt and pepper.

Cook into the oven at about 200° for around 40 to 50 mins, until soften.

Boil the cous cous according to the instructions on its box. 
Chop both the sun dried tomatoes, the squash and the feta cheese. Add some other olive oil to taste, mix well and serve :) 

Aubergine & Feta Pie

Hello there! 
Today I was so into experimenting and suddenly this recipe has started to take form into my brain.
To be fair.. This is how it started.. Basically yesterday I've roasted 2 medium aubergine to try to reproduce one very delicious lebenase Moussaka (click here for the recipe) I had last Sunday at Greenwich.. Roasted, indeed, as I'm not such a fan of fried veggies and, of course, I always try not to cook caloric meals at home... Anyway! I wasn't really in the mood for another Moussaka to be honest (but don't be worried, I'm going to make it asap, so stay tuned if you wanna find out more ;) ) so here it goes!

Make sure you have:
2 Medium Aubergines
3 Medium Potatoes
100 gr of Feta Cheese
1 Egg
1 Glove of Garlic
Parsley
1 Piece of Bread
Salt and Pepper to taste
E.V. Olive Oil
Bread Crumbs
Parmesan or Grana Cheese

First things first: let's roast the augergine!
Wash them and pierce the skin all around with a fork and roast the aubergines for about 3-4 mins per side on a very hot pan. In the meantime preheat the oven at 200°.
Once the aubergines are cooked, transfer them into a tin and bake for about 30 to 40 mins, turning them once.
After this step, place them into a plastic bag while they're still hot (mind your fingers!) and allow to chill overnight.

Now it's time to peal off the skin and put the filets into a bowl.

I really do love the consistency, they literally mealt in the mouth, yum!

Let's add now the bread (previously soften and drained into some warm water), the feta cheese, the garlic and the parsley, finally chopped, the egg, the salt and the pepper.

Mix well until you reach a texture that looks similar to this:

Pour about 1 tablespoon of E.V. Oil into a 500 grams plum cake mould and coat all sides with some bread crumbs.

Peal & slice the potatoes, then line them on each side of the tin.

Fill with the aubergine and feta mixure..

..then cover with another layer of sliced potatoes.

Spread over some other bread crumbs and some grana or parmesan cheese, then allow to cook for about 45 mins at 180°.

This is how it will look like still in the tin..

..And this is how it is on a plate, upside down :)