National Vegetarian Week: Chad Sarno’s Beetroot Ravioli

Chad Sarno’s London restaurant, Saf​, focuses on the healthy aspect of a vegetarian lifestyle, with almost every item on his menu heated to below 48C to preserve optimum nutrition and flavour.

He uses a variety of fresh vegetables, nuts and pulses to ensure that not one of his dishes compromises on taste or creativity. Here he shares a recipe for one of his best-selling starters, Beetroot Ravioli.

Beetroot Ravioli

“This is one of my favourite and easiest versions of raw ravioli. It is always nice to offer non-dairy cheese options on menus, which are hard to come by at many restaurants. It is a great starter or amuse for any Mediterranean focused meal, really giving the diner that first delicious introduction of what is to follow. The sweetness of the beetroot, and cashew based cheese is balanced out very nicely with the acid of the balsamic and spiciness of the garlic oil.” - Chad Sarno.

Ingredients

Ravioli​
​1 large beetroot
Aged balsamic vinegar
Minced chives
Course Sea salt to taste
Fresh Cracked black pepper

Herb and Cashew Bourson​
​2 cups of cashews soaked for 12-14 hours
1 teaspoon of New Chapter Probiotics dissolved in 1 cup warm filtered water, or 1 cup fresh rejuvelac
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast, small flake
Half a teaspoon of onion powder
1 & a half teaspoons of finely diced chives
2 teaspoons of finely minced parsley
2 teaspoons of finely minced shallots
1 teaspoon of sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Green Garlic Oil​
​1 cup of fresh chives
Half a cup of chopped parsley
2 cups of organic grape seed, or mild organic olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
3 teaspoons of coarsely crushed young garlic

Method

For the Green Garlic Oil, blend the chives, parsley, and sea salt well. Using a fine mesh strainer or chinoise pour the mixture though, slowly stirring out the oil. Discard pulp, and toss the chopped garlic in the ‘chive oil’, before allowing to sit for one day to infuse.

For the bouson cheese filling, blend the soaked cashews with probiotics and luke warm water, or rejuvelac, until smooth. Allow to sit in a glass bowl covered with a towel in a warm place for 14-16 hours to culture, before hand mixing in the remaining ingredients.

Slice beetroots paper-thin and marinate in seasoned garlic oil for one hour.

Lay sliced beets out and scoop one tablespoon or so of the cashew cheese in center of each, before covering with another sliced beet to complete the ravioli. Use a dropper, or small spoon to drizzle the green garlic oil on the ravioli for an added kick of flavor. Serve six ravioli in a line on the center of plate. Finish each with minced chives, aged balsamic, cracked pepper and pinch of course sea salt.