Tofu Basil Ricotta

Kozmic Blues's Note:

From my new FAVORITE cookbook: Veganomicon. This is an amazing vegan filling for stuffed shells, manicotti, lasagna or topping pizza or pasta. Simple to make, possibilities are endless!! The best tools for this one are clean hands. They are the most effective for squishing the tofu to "ricotta-like" consistency. The recipe listed below is enough for one(1) layer in a 9x13 lasagna pan. Can be doubled if you like more "cheese" in your lasagna layers.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 cups

• 1 lb firm tofu, drained and pressed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
• fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mush the tofu up with your hands, till it's crumbly.
2. Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and basil.
3. Mush with hands again, this time you want it to get very mushy so squeeze through your fingers and mush until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese. May take 2-5 minutes.
4. Add olive oil, stir with fork (olive oil is sticky).
5. Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well.
6. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Reviews

[Mgnbos]

This is excellent! My box of tofu was roughly 12 ounces but I opted to keep the other ingredients the same and am I very pleased with the results. We both had seconds and I am really looking forward to having this again.

[Lovaskon]

This is very good and very addicting. Persoally I like it with a clove or more of garlic and more salt, but that's just me.

[magpie diner]

I agree Kozmic, this is my favourite too and I'm a big fan of Veganomicon (I came to see if anyone had already posted this recipe actually :). It's really amazing how quick and easy it is - doesn't take long (with clean hands as you said!) and voila, it's looking like ricotta. Tastes fantastic. Highly recommend to any non-dairy eater, give it a try.