veggieburgh

Our good friends Jeff and Ellen brought this dish to the Veggieburgh launch party, and we’ve been craving it ever since. Nearly as much as we crave summer rolls from Green Mango, or the pumpkin curry at Bangkok Balcony. So you know it’s gotta be great.

This is Jeff’s variation on a recipe from the March 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times. He adds extra spices, especially rosemary, and makes substitutions for the dairy products. Note that the rice cheese (pictured) contains casein, hence the “nearly vegan” moniker. The basil paste he uses is Gourmet Garden basil herb blend, available in a 4oz tube at Whole Foods and most Giant Eagles around town.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups veggie spiral noodles
• 2 Tbs margarine or vegan butter
• 1 1/2 Tbs fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried
• 1 tsp garlic salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 Tbs basil paste (optional)
• 1 Tbs organic flour
• 2.5 cups lowfat soy milk
• 8 oz package cheddar rice shreds
• 8 oz package mozzarella rice shreds

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.
• Make a roux: Heat margarine over low heat and whisk in flour. Sprinkle in rosemary. After margarine starts to bubble, stir in the soy milk and continue to stir for 5 minutes until thickened. While stirring, add garlic salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and basil paste.
• Remove from heat and stir in about 1/2 of each bag of rice cheese.
• Alternate layers of noodles and the cheese mixture in a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Top with some of the remaining rice cheese and remaining black pepper. Cover with foil and use toothpicks to keep cheese from sticking to foil.
• Bake ~45 minutes, or less if you can’t help yourself.

Indulge while listening to music from your childhood, such as Michael Jackson and Wham!. Perhaps incorporate Muppet Show tunes.