RECIPE: Vegan Baked Ziti

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta ziti or similar, 
• 4 vegan Italian sausages, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic minced 
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large jar of marinara sauce 32 ounces
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 ½  cups cashews or macadamia nuts soaked for 2-6 hours
• 3/4  cup water
• 1 ½  tsp sea salt, or to taste 
• 3 tbsp     lemon juice
• 6 tbsp     nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Heat a large pot of water (2 quarts of water) to a strong boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook at a rolling boil, uncovered until the pasta is al dente—edible but still a little firm to the bite.
2. Drain the pasta through a colander. Toss with a little olive oil so the pasta does not stick together while you make the sauce.
3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Constantly stirring cook until onions are transparent. Add mushrooms and sausage. Cook for 8-10 minutes. 
4. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring it to a simmer. Add salt and pepper.
5. To make cheese in the blender add nuts, ¾ cup filtered water, 1 ½  teaspoon of salt or to taste, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Blend until very smooth, set aside. 
6. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole pan, then add ½ cup cheese on top. Add a spoonful of sauce into the pasta, stir it well and then add the pasta into the casserole.
7. Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, add the remaining cheese over the pasta.
8. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Then broil for 2 minutes. 
9. Let set for 10 minutes before serving