Good Food, Good Life, 365 – Asparagus in a Blanket
Asparagus in a Blanket
Ingredients:
-
- 40 asparagus spears
- 8 lasagna noodles
- 1 cup ricotta cheese or cashew cream (see recipe for Cashew Cream in Sue’s Tips below)
- Ground walnuts
Instructions:
-
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the paper with olive oil. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Trim the asparagus and tie together in bunches of 6. Drop into the boiling water, and simmer until just cooked about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the cooked asparagus using tongs and drop into a bowl of ice water. Once cold, drain well and untie.
- Return the water to the boil and add the lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water. Drain and pat dry.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Trim the asparagus spears into 3- to 4-inch lengths. Slice the remaining stems into thin diagonal slices and reserve.
- Place the cooked noodles against sides of a baking dish with a third of each noodle on the bottom of the dish and the other two-thirds overhanging one side of the dish.
- Spread a dollop of ricotta or cashew cream on each noodle. Add sliced asparagus pieces.
- Fold the noodle back over this and top the next noodle third with more ricotta or cashew cream. Arrange asparagus spears over the cream.
- Finally, fold the remaining piece of the noodle back over this. You will have an S shape, with sliced asparagus stems and cream or cheese in the bottom of the S and spears and cream or cheese in the top half.
- Transfer prepared Asparagus In A Blanket to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until heated through.
- Top with a dollop of ricotta or cashew cream. Sprinkle with ground walnuts.
Serve hot. Makes 8 appetizer servings or 4 meal servings.
Sue’s Tips
To make Cashew Cream:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw cashews (soaked in water for at least 2 hours & drained)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Juice and grated zest of of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Instructions:
- Submerge 2 cups of cashews in water and let sit for at least 2 hours to soften up.
- Drain cashews and rinse and add all ingredients to a blender, mix until smooth and set aside.
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