Ingredients

For the lasagne

1 pack of “tofu leaves” or equivalent (you can also use regular wheat lasagna squares)

For the rocket, basil and almond pesto

a large bunch of arugula, cleaned and blanched in boiling water for 1 minute then drained
a large handful of fresh basil, cleaned
1 garlic clove, peeled
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast (flakes)
10-11 tablespoons finely crushed almonds
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
80 ml filtered water
50 ml extra virgin olive oil

To complete

shaved almonds, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 C. To make the pesto, process all ingredients with the help of a food processor. Once you have reached the desired consistency, set aside. Spread a little olive oil around the inside of a glass or ceramic baking pan (altrnatively, you can use parchment paper, to be placed n a regular baking pan). Put a lasagna square down first and layer on some pesto. Repeat until you have no squares left. Top with a final but thinner layer of pesto, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and bake for 15 minutes, until the top begins to get brown. Remove from oven, top with the shaved almonds and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

6-7 tomatoes, cleaned and seeds removed then cut into small pieces
6 sundried tomatoes, soaked in filtered water for about 10 minutes then rinsed, pat-dried and cut into pieces
a handful of fresh rocket, cleaned and chopped
a handful of fresh basil, cleaned and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut into slivers
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
200 g kamut penne
a handful of hazelnuts, shelled and chopped

Makes 2-3 servings.

Directions

Combine the tomatoes, rocket, basil and garlic in a bowl and toss. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, toss again and set aside. Cook the penne in salted filtered water until al dente, drain them and add them to the vegetables. Add some extra olive oil, pepper and finish with the hazelnuts. You can serve it warm though it’s equaly delicious cold.

Ingredients

For the asparagus and porcini cream

200 g fresh and cleaned asparagus
300 ml filtered water
200 ml vegetable cream (I used oat cream)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
ground nutmeg, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in about 70 ml cold, filtered water
20 g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes then drained and chopped

For the vegetables

200 g fresh and cleaned asparagus
200 g fresh spinach, cleaned and blanched in boiling water for about 1 minute
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut into halves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
whole sea salt, just enough to taste

For the hazelnut and basil coating/filling

half a garlic clove, peeled
a handful of fresh basil, cleaned
2 handfuls of shelled hazelnuts
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

To assemble

250 g kamut or whole wheat lasagna sheets

Makes 4 servings.

Directions

Blanch 200 g asparagus in boiling water for 6-7 minutes then drain and set aside. Cook the remaining 200 g asparagus until they’re tender. Drain and set aside. Pour the water, vegetable cream and olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Add the salt, nutmeg and pepper and keep cooking for a couple of minutes on a low heat. Add the cornstarch to the vegetable cream mixture and keep cooking, stirring constantly, until you reach a fairly thick texture. Remove from the heat and let cool a bit. Combine the 200 g tender asparagus and the cream in the bowl of a mixer and process until smooth. Transfer into a bowl, add the porcini, mix and set aside.
In a pan or wok over medium heat, sauté the remaining blanched asparagus and spinach with the garlic, olive oil, pepper and salt. Remove from the heat.
To make the hazelnut and basil coating, process all the ingredients together in a food processor until the mixture looks grainy. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180° C. Bring plenty filtered water to a boil, add some whole sea salt and cook the lasagne. Drain them and place them on a tray but make sure they don’t stick together. Also, be careful not to break them.
To assemble the lasagne, choose an appropriate baking pan, as you don’t want your lasagne to be too thin or too thick. Oil the bottom of the pan with a little olive oil, then spread some of the asparagus and porcini cream. Arrange the lasagna sheets lengthwise over the cream then spread the lasagne with some of the cream, top with some vegetables (asparagus and spinach) and sprinkle with a little pesto. Repeat layers, and top with remaining cream and pesto. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Take away from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
a 4-5 cm piece of leek, cleaned and cut into thin slices
3-4 tablespoons filtered water
20 g dried porcini mushrooms, to be soaked in filtered water for about 10 minutes then drained and chopped
200 ml vegetable cream, unflavoured and unsweetened
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
a pinch of chilli powder
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
160-170 g pizzoccheri
1 jerusalem artichoke, peeled and thinly shaved (use a mandolin or potato peeler)
fresh parsley leaves, cleaned

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat and sauté the leek for a couple of minutes. Add the water and keep cooking for another minute or so. Throw in the porcini and toss them around by shaking the pan. Pour the vegetable cream into the pan, season with a little salt, add the chilli pepper, white pepper and nutmeg, turn the heat to low and cook for another ten minutes. In the meantime, bring a large saucepan of filtered water to a boil, add some salt and cook the pizzoccheri until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it into a large bowl or in the saucepan you used to cook the pasta. Stir in the porcini sauce and divide the pizzoccheri into individual plates. Top with the shaved jerusalem artichoke, drizzle some olive oil over, sprinkle some more white pepper and nutmeg on top and garnish with parsley leaves. Serve warm.

Ingredients

150 g semi-whole durum wheat orecchiette
1 small bunch of asparagus, cleaned and cut into pieces
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
10-12 baby date tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), cut into quarters
a handful of olives (I used Taggiasca), pitted and roughly chopped
1 small bunch of fresh chives, cleaned and chopped
1 small handful of fresh mint, cleaned and chopped

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

Bring a pan of plenty water to a boil, add some salt and cook the orecchiette and the asparagus until al dente (cooking times vary, but make sure you add the asparagus just 5-7 minutes before the pasta is done). Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain again and transfer into a salad bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and let cool. Add the tomatoes, olives, chives and mint (and a little more olive oil if needed), toss and serve cool.

Ingredients

280 g whole wheat linguine
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
half a onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, cleaned and finely chopped
a pinch of whole sea salt
a small head of radicchio, chopped
250 g seitan, minced
a handful of fresh parsley, cleaned and finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Makes 4 servings.

Directions

Bring a pan of plenty water to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, add some salt and cook the linguine. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat then add the onion, carrot and salt and sauté for a few minutes (the carrot should stay crunchy). Add the radicchio and seitan, cook for a few more minutes and turn off the heat. When the linguine are al dente, drain and transfer them in the pan where you cooked the vegetables. Add a little more olive oil if needed, then mix and sauté over medium heat for 30-40 seconds, making sure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and pepper, toss and serve.

Ingredients

180 g whole grain farro medium-short pasta ( I used ‘torchioli’)
water and whole sea salt, just enough to cook the pasta
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and more or less finely chopped
1 yellow pepper (stem, core and seeds removed), diced
1 long, medium-hot, sweet red pepper, Italian or Mediterranean (stem, core and seeds removed), diced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
a pinch of whole sea salt
a pinch of chilli powder
1 large handful of capers, soaked in water for 10-20 minutes to remove excess salt
1 handful of fresh parsley leaves, 1 handful of fresh mint leaves, 1 handful of fresh basil leaves, washed and pat dried with a paper towel

Directions

Bring a pan of plenty water to a boil. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat then add the carrot, peppers, garlic and salt and sauté for a few minutes (the carrot and peppers should stay crunchy). As soon as the water is boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta then put it in the pan where you previously cooked the vegetables. Rinse the capers and add them to the pasta. Sprinkle with the chilli and add a little more olive oil if needed, then  mix and sauté over medium heat for 30-40 seconds, making sure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, mint and basil (chopped or whole), toss and serve.

Thoughts, tips, ideas

This pasta is delicious served warm but can be also enjoyed cold as a summer picnic pasta. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6-8 hours.

Ingredients

180 g mezze maniche kamut pasta or other short pasta
water and whole sea salt, just enough to cook the pasta
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and more or less finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and more or less finely chopped
a pinch of whole sea salt
8 zucchini flowers, washed, stems and pistils removed, and cut into halves or 4 parts, lengthwise
a pinch of powdered saffron, mixed with 1 tablespoon natural mineral or filtered water
2 handfuls of fresh parsley leaves, washed and pat dried with a paper towel

Directions

Bring a pan of plenty water to a boil. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat then add the chopped carrot, garlic and salt and sauté for a few minutes (the carrot should stay crunchy). When the water is boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta then put it in the pan where you cooked the carrot and garlic, add the saffron and, if you think it’s necessary, a tiny little more olive oil. Stir in the zucchini flowers and sauté for another few seconds, making sure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat, add the parsley leaves (chopped or whole), toss and serve. 

Thoughts, tips and ideas

This pasta is good warm but equally delicious cold, too, so it can be perfect for a summer picnic. You can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6-8 hours.