This Vegan Ziti Siciliano is comfort food at it’s best. A combination of Baked Ziti and Eggplant Parmesan in one dish! I’m going to serve it for Mother’s Day, with some Broccoli Rabe in Garlic and Oil and a large Arugula Salad! Something to look forward to!

During this Covid19 pandemic, iEat Green is offering a weekly Wednesday night, “Let’s Cook Dinner Together”,  cooking class on Zoom, where we will all be able to make a delicious, plant-based dinner together. We made this Vegan Ziti this week! Beginning at 5 pm, EST, we will chop, cook, drink, and have fun, while getting dinner on the table! Please sign up, so I can send you the recipe ahead of time, and you can have most of the ingredients on hand. The recipes are flexible, so if you don’t have all of the ingredients, you can substitute something else or leave it out.

Please register in advance here for my Zoom Cooking Class!

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Ingredients

Cashew Ricotta Filling

3 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours or more

3 cups filtered water

2 Tbs. Nutritional yeast

¼ t. minced garlic

½ t. salt and ¼ t. pepper

Fried Eggplant

1 large Italian Eggplant

2 Tbs. flax seed

2 Tbs. water

¼ cup milk alternative

1 cup Bread crumbs (reg. or GF)

1 Tbs. nutritional yeast

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tbs. dried Basil

¼ t. garlic powder

¼ t. salt

1/8 t. black pepper

Olive oil

Sauce

1- 32 oz. Jar  Organic Marinara Sauce 

2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried basil

1- 28 oz. can dice fire-roasted tomatoes

1 onion

1 yellow or orange organic pepper 

½ cup white wine   

olive oil   

¼ cup chopped parsley               

1 box org. Penne (Whole Wheat, Brown Rice or Quinoa Pasta)

¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish

½ lb. Miyoko’s Cashew Mozzarella cheese, grated

Instructions

Sauce

1. In a heavy saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. When onions are soft, add peppers, and sauté for another 5 minutes.

2. Add ½ cup white wine, and cook down for 5 minutes.

3. Add the marinara sauce, can of diced tomatoes, oregano, basil and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Let cook for 10 minutes.

Cashew Ricotta

1. Meanwhile, drain the cashews and pulse in food processor with 3 cups water, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and pepper.

2. Pulse until smooth. Scrape down sides and pulse again. Taste and adjust S & P.

Pasta

Cook al dente according to directions. Set aside.

Eggplant

1. Cut off the ends, and partially peel the eggplant.

2. Slice the eggplant into ¼” thick slices.

3. In pie plate or shallow dish, make a mixture of the flaxseed and water.

4. Add in the milk alternative, and mix well.

5. In another pie pan or shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs with nutritional yeast and spices, and S & P.

6. Dip both sides of the eggplant slices first into the flaxseed mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture.

7. Cover bottom of cast iron pan or heavy skillet with olive oil. Heat oil until it shimmers. Sauté the eggplant slices on medium heat, until golden brown on one side. Turn over and repeat. Drizzle more oil slowly around sides as needed.

(Option– You can choose to bake the slices in a 375° oven on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and lightly greased, for 10 minutes on each side instead)

Assemble the Ziti

1. Remove 2 cups of marinara sauce from pot.

2. Cover bottom of casserole pan with 1 cup of sauce.

3. Add the penne to the pot with the remaining sauce and mix well.

4. Add ½ of the penne to the casserole pan.

5. Cover with the fried eggplant slices.

6. Cover with ½ of the cashew ricotta. Add the remaining pasta to the pan.

7. Cover with remaining cashew ricotta, and then the cup of remaining marinara sauce.

8. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes.

9. Remove from oven, and cover with grated Miyoko’s mozzarella cheese.

10. Return to oven and cook for another 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

11. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley.