Vegan Manicotti

Vegan Manicotti with homemade marinara sauce.

I loved the manicotti my mom made growing up.  When I started cooking it on my own, I discovered one of her secrets was ultra-simple spaghetti sauce - she used the powdered packet and didn't deviate from the instructions. Today, I planned to get use a simple pre-made sauce because they don't sell the packets at my grocery store. Instead, tomatoes were on a great sale, and I decided to improvise a sauce.  Bottom-line - the sauce was tasty, but I didn't make enough, and the amount of work involved didn't pay off.  I'll include the sauce recipe, (x1.5 because I think that would be about right), but you might just want to use a jar, or can - or, even better, a packet of mystery powder. For the filling, I have to pay respects to Veganomicon - an awesome vegan cookbook.  Although I modified, cheapified and combined some of its recipes - it held the inspiration for my fake ricotta.

The Sauce

1 TBS oil

3/4 c. yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, diced

4 TBS carrot, grated

3/4 tsp oregano

3/4 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp brown sugar 

3 large vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 large roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

 3/4 cup water

Salt

Pepper

Saute onion in oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add ingredients from garlic to sugar - stir constantly for 90 seconds.

Add tomatoes and water.

Bring to a near boil, partially cover, reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes.

Puree using an immersion blender or other device.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Reheat, simmer for ten more minutes, allowing flavors to mix.

The Filling (for 8 noodles or two people)

 3 generous cups of spinach

12 oz firm or x-firm tofu

1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 garlic clove, minced

1 TBS lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Nuke the spinach in a covered bowl for 2-3 minutes, depending on microwave.

Squeeze out spinach in a paper towel or clean dish towel.  Chop.

Mash chopped spinach and all other ingredients in a bowl, adding salt and pepper to taste. 

  

To make the manicotti:

Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 pan.

Stuff the manicotti noodles with the filling.

Arrange on the bottom of the pan.

Cover with sauce.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.