The foundation of this dish is thinly sliced courgette, which acts as a pasta substitute and provides a light and refreshing base for the layers above. These are complemented by creamy macadamia cheese, made velvety smooth with probiotics and seasoned to perfection. The walnut meat layer adds savoury depth, combining soaked walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes with umami-rich miso and tamari.
Ingredients:
Macadamia Cheese Stage 1:
- 1 cup macadamias, soaked for 8 hours
- 1/2 cup water, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon probiotics
- Macadamia Cheese Stage 2:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Walnut Meat Layer:
- 1 cup walnuts, soaked for 1 hour or more
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 1 hour or more
- 1 tablespoon brown miso
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the tomato sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 2 hours or more
- 2 dates, stoned (medjools are perfect)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Italian herb mix
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pesto:
- 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
Wilted spinach:
- 7oz spinach
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Assembly:
- 4 courgettes (zucchini)
- 10 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
Method of cooking:
Drain and rinse the soaked macadamias.
Place the macadamias, water and probiotics in a blender.
Blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.
Transfer to a bowl, cover and leave to ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
After culturing, add the salt, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder and garlic powder to the macadamia cheese.
Mix well and set aside.
Drain and rinse the soaked walnuts and sundried tomatoes.
In a food processor, combine the walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, brown miso, tamari and lemon juice.
Process until mixture is crumbly and resembles minced meat. Set aside.
Drain the soaked sundried tomatoes.
In a blender, combine sun-dried tomatoes, pitted dates, garlic, fresh tomatoes, Italian herb mix, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Blend until smooth. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine basil leaves, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast.
Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss spinach with salt until wilted. Set aside.
Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, slice courgettes (zucchini) lengthwise into thin strips (resembling lasagne noodles).
Arrange a layer of courgette strips on the bottom of a serving dish.
Spread a layer of macadamia cheese over the courgette strips.
Add a layer of walnut meat, followed by tomato sauce and wilted spinach.
Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of courgette strips on top.
Drizzle with pesto and garnish with chiffonade-cut basil leaves.
Cover the lasagne with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set and enhance flavors.
Slice and serve chilled, garnished with additional basil leaves if desired.
