PASTA MOOD - ON!

When you are in a great PASTA MOOD but don't feel like eating spaghetti, "regular pasta" or lasagna, why don't we try something new - like cannelloni! Cannelloni are, for those of you who don't know, like a pipe-looking pasta sort that are filled with mince, spinach and ricotta, or other fillings. Today I'm making my own vegan mince version of it - and using fresh lasagna sheets when doing it. So, this really became like lasagna rolls - yum!

THIS RECIPE IS:

• Vegan

• Festive

• Delicious

• Simple to make

• Great pantry cleansing food

• Perfect for those of us who love Italian food

• Great Lunch box food

Cannelloni with Vegan Mince, Tomato and Fresh Basil

INGREDIENTS:

200 g fresh vegan lasagna pasta sheets (or use cannelloni pasta /"pipes")

Olive oil

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 dl fresh basil

1/2 + 1/2 finely chopped yellow onion 

1 +1 pressed garlic clove

1,5 tbsp tomato pure

300 g vegan mince

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp oregano

Salt and black pepper

approx 1-2 dl grated vegan cheese

HOW TO MAKE:

• Heat oven to 225 degrees C and brush on some olive oil in a baking pan, 30 cm x 20 cm.

• Tomato sauce: start by making your simple tomato sauce. Heat up a small sauce pan with some olive oil. Add 1/2 finely chopped onion and 1 pressed garlic clove and fry until soft (be careful it doesn't get burned). Add the crushed tomatoes and combine.

• Let it simmer on low heat for at least 10'.

• Taste off with salt, black pepper and possibly a little bit sugar, if your crushed tomatoes are sour (depends on the brand). End with adding some finely chopped fresh basil.

• Vegan mince: Heat a frying pan with some olive oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft and transparent.

• Add the tomato pure and combine. Add the vegan mince and fry until soft and it has gotten some color. Add the and vegan creme cheese and possibly a little bit of water. Combine and fry.

• Add the seasoning (salt, black pepper, paprika powder and oregano). Taste and add more salt (or other seasoning) if needed.

• Spread out some vegan mince on a lasagna sheet. Roll it to a pipe and place it in the pan. Keep doing this with all of the filling or until there are no lasagna sheets left.

• Pour over the tomato sauce and end with grated cheese.

• Place in the oven for approx 20' or until the pasta is soft.

• Take out and garnish with fresh basil. Dig in.