Vegan MoFo Day 18: Napoli, Part 2 - Pompeii

After our morning in Capri and Sorrento, we took a ferry back across the Bay of Naples. After we docked, we took a short bus ride to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. Pompeii, as you may know, was destroyed and buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The ash and soot entombed and preserved the city until it was rediscovered in the mid-1700s. Today it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, and with good reason - it is utterly unforgettable and almost indescribable. Like the Grand Canyon, you simply have to see it for yourself!

Once inside the walls of Pompeii, you can see the outline of Mount Vesuvius in the distance. It's a little eerie!

It is completely fascinating to me that this entire city was excavated - can you imagine how much work that must have been?

We were just in awe of the place, walking up and down the cobblestone streets of a long-buried city.

Check out the bakery! You can see the old stone ovens and millstones used for grinding wheat.

This amphitheater is remarkably well-preserved. You can just imagine the gladiator matches here!

I figured, if archaeologists can dig out the ruins of Pompeii, I can at least attempt to make one of my favorite Italian dishes. I don't know what it is about lasagna, but I've only made 4 or so in my entire life. And I love lasagna, so this is a shame. But after making the Lasagna with Roasted Cauliflower Ricotta & Spinach from Appetite for Reduction, I think all that is about to change.

I had no idea how easy this lasagna would be to make. There are several steps involved, but you can do several things at once, which makes it easy to pull off. While the cauliflower is roasting, you can boil the lasagna noodles and prep the red sauce.

After the cauliflower is roasted, you just mash it up with some tofu, salt, pepper, nooch, and fresh lemon juice.

Then the assembly begins! First a layer of sauce, then a layer of noodles, then a layer of the cauli ricotta. Sprinkle some freshly chopped spinach on top:

Then ladle on some of your red sauce.

Now repeat! You create another identical layer, then finish off with a top layer of ricotta and sliced black olives.

 Look at those layers! Yummmm.....

After 40 minutes in the oven, I pulled out this delicious-looking dish!

 It was a little messy to slice, but I finally got a good-looking piece:

The lasagna was devoured by all three of us. My toddler son loved it (except the olives :) and ate his entire plate. The leftovers were even better the next day! In fact, I might make this a day ahead next time. I think it helped the flavors to meld, and the layers "stuck" together better after a second baking. I'll probably also add even more veggies (zucchini, onions, mushrooms, eggplant) next time to really bulk it up. But I couldn't believe the nutrition facts on this dish - only 300 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving, and it makes 6 BIG servings! It also supplies 35% of your vitamin A, 150% (!!) of your vitamin C, 25% of your calcium, and 30% of your iron. This is a lasagna I can feel GREAT about eating and serving to my family!! 

Vegan MoFo Day 17: Napoli, Part 1 - Capri and Sorrento

One of the port calls on our 2003 Mediterranean cruise was Naples, Italy. My friend Lisa, whose father was stationed in Naples during our college years, will hate me for saying this, but we didn't spend any time in Naples itself. Rather, we spent the morning on the island of Capri, had lunch on an outdoor terrace in Sorrento, and spent the afternoon taking a tour of Pompeii. That's a whole lot to see during the approximate 10-hour port call, so we didn't have time to see Naples-proper. But, wow, did we get to see a LOT!

After our ship docked in the Bay of Naples, we took a ferry to Capri, a popular resort island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Capri is very small - only about 4 square miles - but it has long been considered one of the Mediterranean's must-see places. I couldn't agree more - it's stunningly beautiful!

Our ferry docked at the Marina Grande. From there, we rode this funiculare up to Capri town. The views on the way up were simply amazing!

Our tour didn't include a ton of time in Capri, so mostly we just walked around town and enjoyed the sights and scenery (and a delicious melon granita...I wish I had a picture of that!)

Soon we were back on the ferry, this time over to Sorrento. 

Sorrento is gorgeous in its own right, but it is probably most famous for the production of Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur made from lemon rinds, sugar, alcohol, and water. It's pretty potent stuff (I may have tried some of Lisa's bounty of Limoncello in college), so I didn't partake of any while in Sorrento. Still, we had a fabulous lunch on a gorgeous outdoor terrace on the cliffs. I remember eating some fresh bread, olives, pasta, and dessert, and it was all fabulous.

After lunch, we spent a little time meandering through the town's alleyways, browsing in the galleries and shops offering unique wares and souvenirs. But soon it was time to hop back on the ferry and head toward our day's final destination, Pompeii (to be continued in another post!)

In a nod to the fresh, delicious lunch I ate on that beautiful terrace, I made an Italian-inspired salad that captured the flavors of Capri and Sorrento.

Baby romaine lettuce is topped with halved Campari tomatoes, cucumber, orange bell pepper, garbanzo beans, celery, and olives. I made the Basic Balsamic Dressing from 1,000 Vegan Recipes and used white balsamic vinegar, which gave the dressing a wonderful lightness. I finished it off with a sprinkling of nooch for a touch of cheesy flavor.

It was the perfect light lunch, and one that I will surely make again!

Vegan MoFo Day 14: Veni, Vidi, Venice!

There are several places in the world I'd love to revisit, but none perhaps more so than the enchanting and mysterious (and sinking) city of Venice, Italy.

Venice is a place you just have to see for yourself. It is truly unique and a feast for the eyes, from the grand Gothic architecture of the palazzos, to the beautiful sweeping piazzas, to the miles and miles of canals that wend their way throughout the city. And, of course, you can't even talk about Venice without mentioning the iconic gondolas that pepper the waterways.

No Hondas here. Just park your dinghy next to your front door!

Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica) is a truly spectacular sight. I could just sit and study it for hours!

I'm not sure why I took a picture of my hubby standing with a bunch of pigeons. I mean, I could have taken some pictures of the Grand Canal, or the Rialto Bridge, or the newly reconstructed La Fenice opera house. But no. Pigeons. At least they were in Piazza San Marco. That must have been my angle.

I'm also not sure of the significance of this clock tower. But it's pretty cool how you can take a gondola right up to it! (We didn't take any gondola rides, by the way....it's so expensive!!)

Mostly, we just spent our time walking around and gazing at the beautiful architecture, enjoying the sights and sounds of this hypnotic and romantic city of water.

Even if my hair was no match for the searing September heat and humidity.

Did you need to zoom out so far in order to get all my hair in the shot, my dear?

Yeah, even I know this hat is atrocious.

Still, I'd love to go back to Venice. I feel like there is so much still to see. I'd get a cappuccino, find some vegan tiramisu, and just sit in a piazza and take it all in. But if you want to get a feel for Venice without having to leave your house, I highly suggest reading The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt's mesmerizing book about Venice and the investigation into the devastating fire at La Fenice opera house. I read this book several months ago, and I felt like I was transported back to Venice. He does an amazing job painting visual pictures of the city!

In honor of my trip to Venice, I wanted to make a simple Italian dish, similar to one I would have eaten in one of the city's trattorias. I chose Chickpea Piccata from Appetite for Reduction, served over some brown rice penne. A side of broccoli rabe, sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic, was a perfect accompaniment.

The piccata was deceptively simple to make - it's just shallots, garlic, bread crumbs, broth, white wine, chickpeas, capers, and lemon juice. So easy! Much easier (and cheaper, and tastier, and healthier) than making chicken or veal piccata, IMHO. I did make chicken piccata once. I think it took me all afternoon to make. This took me about 30 minutes!

 Ciao my friends!