RAW-violis (raw recipe #1)

RAWvioli - n. - The Vegan version of a flavor packed pesto ravioli. A tomato sandwich.

Tonight Christine, The Hunebee, and I started our weekly contribution to "RAW RECIPES."  This is something we have agreed to do for the next couple weeks, or for as long as we can remember the recipes we used to prepare. In the upcoming weeks you can look forward to Raw Ice cream, Raw Vegan Cheesecake, specialty drinks, and Carob candies with sweet surprises like cranberries and orange in the center. I will post one RAW recipe a week, along with my usual foods for my "Monday Menu." Thanks for stopping by to check us out!

Prep time: 20 minutes

"Cook" time: 5 hours in a dehydrator  (** I added an additional 2 hours today.)4-8-14 

Serving size: as many as you can eat! This recipe will make about 20 individual Rawviolis. 

Price: $13.00 (raw cashews are pricey!)

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh Basil

1 1/2 cups of raw Cashews (soaked in water over-night)

3 cloves of Garlic

1/2 cup of Olive oil (for the Pesto)

8 firm Roma tomatoes

1/2 cup olive oil (to dress tomatoes)

Dried sprinkle of each:

Oregano

Basil 

Rosemary 

Thyme

Salt

Pepper

Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thin, dress in 1/2 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. 

Soak raw cashews over night in water. Drain and set aside for the Pesto. In a blender add garlic, basil, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt, pepper and the cashews' then blend until creamy.(no chinks)

Spoon about 1/2 - 1 full Tbs. of the Pesto onto a tomato slice and sandwich with an equal sized top. For the most even dehydrating process arrange the Rawviolis evenly on each tray or rack of your dehydrator.

For the Rawviolis to be considered "RAW" they must not go over 103 degrees. If your dehydrator doesn't specify temperature, like mine, start out on high for an hour and medium for the remaining 4 hours.

Half way through, when they start getting wilted, turn them over and continue until they hold together on their own. Christine and I prefer them slightly under-"cooked"  so they are still juicy and bursting with flavor, but traditionally they are very similar to sun dried tomatoes. It is really up to you and your preference, leave them in the dehydrator longer if you like a more firm texture.

When they are done the Rawviolis will look like tiny tomato-pesto sandwiches. You should be able to pick them up without them falling apart. At the restaurant we used to serve them on top of a mixed green salad or on an appetizer platter. Truthfully, and you will find out, they can be eaten any way you'd like and they'll blow you away!

ENJOY!

*Subscribe to this blog for updates as soon as I post them straight to your email, and for special recipes that only my followers receive!