The idea of taking regular lasagna and giving it a healthier and more regional twist has been on our mind for a while. After perfecting our Asian Pesto formula and Tofu Ricotta recipe, it was finally time to give this a go. We are so lucky to live in a neighbourhood that boasts a fresh rice noodle shop but you can get yours at the wet market closest to you. The process of layering and stuffing it with delicious Asian inspired fillings is definitely lasagna inspired but our rectangular pans were out of business so we had to use a round cake pan, which is why our final result looks more like a cake.
Either way, this is a winner: innovative, moreish and totally Asian, this nosh-worthy dish impress taste buds and taste makers alike!
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 500 grams flat rice noodles sheets (aka kway tiao or hou fun noodles)
- 400 grams fresh shitake mushrooms, stems removed
- 1 recipe Asian Pesto
- 1 recipe Tofu Ricotta
- coconut oil, for greasing
- lime wedges, to serve
- breadcrumbs of your choice, optional
Directions
- Remove mushroom stems then steam the shitaake for around five minutes, until soft and tender.
- Place rice noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes before rinsing in cold water.
- Preheat oven at 200 C. Grease a pyrex dish (we made do with an 8-inch cake pan for this one) with a little coconut oil.
- Begin layering: starting with the a noodle layer, followed by ricotta, then mushrooms, then pesto. Rinse and repeat!
- Pop it in the oven for 20 minutes (you can add a layer of breadcrumbs if you want to be naughty and get a crispy crust. We didn’t and loved ours anyway but it’s up to you!)
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes then slice and serve with lime wedges and extra pesto.
