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!

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Looking for some great RAW Vegan recipes?

Christine, The Hunebee, and I used to work in a Raw, Vegan restaurant. I have previously mentioned this in past posts, but never specified where. Cilantro Live was a small Vegan eatery that opened up on 3rd Avenue down in the middle of Chula Vista, Ca. It was at the time one of the first restaurants of it's kind. I have to admit it was also one of the most fun jobs I have had. We learned so much and got to play around with food all day besides getting to eat it! They have since closed the doors to all of their locations which is a bummer because it was a great idea. In the end it was a lack of consistency in the ownership department. On a better note there were so many awesome recipes that Christine and I got to learn. If anyone reading this isn't familiar with a "Raw, Vegan" diet here is an excerpt from Wikipedia.com,  and since they said it so well why not let them do the work!

I am excited to say that The Hunebee and I will be feverishly working in the kitchen for the next couple weeks trying to re-create the dishes we favored like the "Lemon Coconut Dream Bar" which is a Vegan cheesecake made from baby coconut meat, vanilla bean and fresh lemon. The "pie crust" for this raw dessert consists of assorted specialty nuts, agave and a handful of our favorite baking spices. The texture of the "crust" is the best part aside from the great nutty flavor with a hint of sweet. Next to tackle will be something called "Raw-violis" which are delectable little roma tomato sandwiches stuffed with fresh pesto. These are dehydrated and are also a great reason for me to go buy the dehydrator I have been neglecting to purchase for some time now. Cilantro used to offer some great drinks and one of our favorites was a "Raw-Margarita." It's definitely not what you're thinking there is no alcohol, rather tart green apple juice, spicy ginger, fresh lime and a sprinkle of cinnamon, but a medley of perfect flavors that compliment each other perfectly. There are many other really unique items and recipes we learned, and as we go we will be sure to share!

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Thank you everyone for stopping by, we are still working hard at bringing you the video portion of some of my best dishes!





Cilantro Live "Sample Platter," Raw-violis, mini Pizzazas, Nori roll, Spring Roll, Pate', and small house salad.



(picture from Potatomato Blog)