Summer Tomato Pasta with Fresh Basil

I am back home after over two weeks in Philadelphia and am glad to be back in my kitchen. Too bad its so hot I don't feel like cooking and/or baking. The garden fared fairly well after being more or less neglected, but some rodents had their way with my rutabagas. Alas! The first of the tomatoes are starting to ripen, so here is a nice simple pasta that does not heat up the kitchen too much. If you aren't feeding a family of six like I am, you might want to halve the recipe since refrigerated tomatoes taste terrible.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb pasta (something small. I used ditali.)
- 2 cups chopped tomato, plus slices for garnish
- 1/2 pkg extra firm tofu, crumbled
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, gently mix lemon juice and nutritional yeast into the tofu. Let sit for a few minutes, then mix again and season to taste with salt.
3. When the pasta has cooked, drain and rinse with some cold water to cool down a bit. You want warm but not hot pasta. Mix in olive oil (enough to lightly coat the pasta) and basil. Gently stir in tomatoes and tofu, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature garnished with tomato slices and some basil leaves.

Creamy Zucchini Farfalle

You are probably going to be inundated with fresh zucchini soon, either from your own garden or the farmer's market. This is a very easy and very tasty way to use some of it up.

INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 lbs zucchini, diced
- 8 oz firm tofu
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup light coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk/creamer
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb farfalle

METHOD
1. Get a large pot of salted water boiling (you will cook both the zucchini and the pasta in this water).
2. Meanwhile, crumble the tofu into a food processor with 1/2 cup of the coconut (or other) milk/creamer. Blend for a good 5 mins until very smooth, adding more liquid if needed.
3. When water is boiling, add zucchini and cook until tender (3-5 mins, depending on how big you diced your zucchini). Remove into a colander with a slotted spoon and drain/cool.
4. Add farfalle to the pot and cook until al dente.
5. Add zucchini and nutritional yeast to the food processor and pulse until blended (you want some texture). Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add additional liquid if needed.
6. Toss pasta with sauce and serve.

Halushki with Fresh Flax Noodles

Ah, halushki (or haluski). This is a dish my grandma used to make, being of western Pennsylvania steel town stock. It is a cheap dish that is filling and delivers some great flavour. I added more ingredients than my grandma used to, but it still brought back all sorts of memories. I'll admit that I weenied out and made the noodles with my pasta maker. She used to roll them out by hand. Speaking of noodles, these are a great vegan version of egg noodles--tender, yet durable.

Fresh Flax Noodles
Makes 1 lb
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup warm soy creamer or soy milk
- 2 tbsp finely ground flax
- large pinch of tumeric (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (I used black salt for an eggy flavour)
- 2 tbsp water (more as needed)

METHOD
1. Place flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Whisk flax into the soy creamer in a separate bowl. Let sit a few mins, then whisk again until thick and goopy. Whisk in tumeric (for colour).
3. Put flax mixture into the well, and sprinkle salt over top. Begin to mix together, adding water as needed to make a stiff but pliable dough.
4. Cut into four equal pieces and pass through a pasta roller up to number 7. Cut into 1/4 inch (or a bit bigger strips) and let dry on a towel for at least 2 hours.
5. When pasta is dry, cut into 4-5 inch lengths.
6. To cook, drop into boiling water, stirring to keep it from sticking together. You only need to cook for about 30 seconds after the water comes back to boiling.

Halushki
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 1 leek, white and light green part, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, finely grated
- 1 small head of cabbage, cored and sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp parsley, plus more for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp margarine
- cooked egg noodles

METHOD
1. Melt 2 tbsp margarine in a large saucepan over medium to med-hi heat. Saute leeks and onions for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add garlic, carrot, cabbage, and a few pinches of salt and mix well. Once sizzling, reduce heat to med-lo, cover, and cook for 10-15 mins, stirring regularly. You want the cabbage to be nice and tender, but not soggy. Add paprika and parsley, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from pan.
2. Add another 2 tbsp of margarine to the pan over medium to med-hi heat. Add egg noodles and gently stir to coat. Fry for a few mins, then add cabbage mixture. Stir to mix, adjust seasoning and serve.

Penne with Seitan Sausage and Tomato Sauce

I am still on the quest for kid-friendly dishes for my newly veggie nephew and had recently concocted a pasta dish with lentils and beans, but then found out that he really does not like beans. Alas! So, this is a much less complex dish that uses good ol' seitan sausages and a simple but tasty tomato sauce. Since this dish only calls for 2 sausages, fire the other two in the freezer to have ready for next time. This is adapted from The Sopranos Cookbook. If you want more zing, add some red pepper flakes to the sauce.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb penne, or rigatoni, or ziti
- 2 seitan sausages, cooled and sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28 oz can plum tomatoes (juice and all) passed though a food mill, or 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp basil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

METHOD
1. Prepare pasta according to the directions on the box.
2. While paste is cooking, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry sliced sausage for a few mins on each side, until nicely browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining tbsp of oil, then fry the garlic until very lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Add wine and simmer until wine reduces by about a third to a half. Add tomatoes then seasons with salt, pepper and basil. Simmer for 10 mins, uncovered.
4. Add tomato paste and nooch and stir well to thicken. Add more paste if needed. Add sausages to the pan and heat through.
5. Drain pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve.

Vegan KD 1.0

Ah, KD. The food of my youth. Back in my teen years when grew about a foot every night, I would come home from school, eat an entire box of KD, then eat dinner a few hours later. And I never gained a pound. Man, those were the days. This is my first attempt (hence version 1.0) to recreate that peculiar KD look and taste. Part of this is because of a weird hankering I got for KD the other day, the other part is because I want to create some very kid-friendly meals for my nephew who has recently embraced veg*nism. I got the colour right, but the sauce was still too thick. No matter, the kids bolted it down with gusto with Son #1 eating a record 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 large red pepper roasted, peeled, and seeded
- 3 cups macaroni
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/4 cup margarine
- soy milk

METHOD
1. While red pepper is roasting, cook pasta according to directions. Start processing cashews and water in a blender until very smooth (3 to 5 mins).
2. Chop roasted pepper (after peeling and seeding, of course) and add to cashew mixture. Once smooth, pass mixture though a fine sieve (optional--my blender really isn't that great). Return to blender and add yeast, mustard, spices, salt, and flour. Blend until smooth.
3. When pasta is cooked, drain. Add margarine to the now empty hot pot and return to the stove over medium heat. When melted, slowly whisk in cashew mixture, then add pasta and mix well. Add enough soy milk until desired consistency is reached.

Oyster Mushroom Scampi

Last week I got an email from a faithful reader wondering what to do with with some veggie-based shrimp she had picked up. At first, I was jealous about the shrimp. I had some once at a Chinese restaurant in Philly and it was great. If memory serves, it is actually a type of mushroom. It was with shrimp on my mind that I sat down to come up with a special meal for Vegan Mom and I (you really have to try and keep a date night when you have four kids!). I settled on Oyster Mushroom Scampi. The dish is lemony and garlicky, and the mushrooms are wonderfully delicate. I made a thin fettucine noodle (rolled out to number 6) but you could use linguine as well.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 for a romantic dinner
- 1/2 pound fresh pasta (linguine or thin fettucine)
- 3 cups large oyster mushroom pieces
- 2 tbsp margarine, plus additional tbsp
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, small dice
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley

METHOD
1. Prepare pasta. While waiting for the water to boil, rinse the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat margarine and oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute for 5 mins, until soft and translucent. Add mushrooms to the pan and saute for another 5 mins, until soft.
3. Add wine and lemon juice to the pan with the additional tbsp of butter and parsley. Bring to bubbling, and when maragrine has melted, add cooked pasta to the pan. Stir well and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Vegan Tortellini with Roasted Pepper Cream Sauce

Vegan Mom and I recently celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary and I wanted to commemorate the occasion with a great meal. Way back when we used to make a tortellini dish with green peppers, mushrooms, and a simple cream sauce. I thought I would re-imagine the dish by making it a little more refined with roasted peppers and a less chunky sauce. The sauce turned out really well, but you need to patience of freakin' Job to make tortellini by hand. They are awesome, of course, but I think I will have to save them for special occasions. Or, maybe I need to make them a lot so I get faster.

INGREDIENTS
Tortellini
- 1 recipe tofu ricotta
- 1 recipe fresh pasta dough

Roasted Pepper Cream Sauce
- 1 red pepper
- 1 orange pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp margarine
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp basil
- 1 recipe cashew cream (remainder from making the ricotta)
- 1/2 cup veggie broth
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Make tofu ricotta, then make the tortellini like you see in this video. I found it very helpful to put the tofu ricotta in a piping bag--it really sped up the filling process. Let dry a bit before cooking.
2. Make the sauce: roast peppers, then skin, core, seed, and chop. Heat oil and margarine over medium heat in a saucepan. Saute onion and garlic for 7-10 mins, until soft and translucent. Add in chopped pepper, basil, cashew cream, and broth. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, then season to taste. Heat, but don't boil, and then serve over cooked tortellini.
NOTE: these freeze and cook really well (as do the ravioli). Once dried, place in a bad in the freezer. Drop as many as you want in boiling water and cook until they all float.

Ravioli with Pesto Cream

Do you like awesomeness? Then you will love this dish. The pesto cream is amazing and has no added fat, and is the perfect topping to tender homemade pasta. I know I said I would never make ravioli again, but I had some serious procrastinating to do today.

INGREDIENTS
Cashew Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 1/2 cups water

Tofu Ricotta Filling (slightly adapted from Isa's recipe)
- 1 pound firm tofu, pressed
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- handful fresh basil leaves, chopped fine (ten leaves or so)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- dash fresh black pepper
- 1/4 cup of the cashew cream (more if needed)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Pesto Cream (adapted from Isa's recipe)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 3 cups basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- remainder of the cashew cream
- salt to taste

- 1 recipe fresh pasta dough

METHOD
Cashew Cream: place cashews in a blender and pour in enough of the water to cover. Blend into a paste. Add the rest of the water and blend until very smooth.

Tofu Ricotta (for ravioli):
1. In a large bowl, mush the tofu up with your hands.
2. Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and basil. Mush with hands again until smooth and reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese.
3. Add cashew cream, stir with fork. You want the tofu to be creamy, but not wet or soggy. You should be able to form it into balls with your hands. Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well.

Pesto Cream:
1. Dry roast pine nuts in a pan over medium heat until golden (around 5 mins). Place in a food processor with basil, garlic, and lemon juice. Process until blended together.
2. With motor running, drizzle in cashew cream and blend until smooth (does not have to be super smooth--a little texture is nice).
3. Heat pesto cream gently in a saucepan and spoon over cooked ravioli.

A NOTE ON RAVIOLI
When I made ravioli before, I used this method. I made the dough too thin, though. This time I rolled the dough to number 5, and used a pastry wheel to get the funky edge. I also made smaller ravioli (about 2 x 2 inches. This recipe will yield about 45 ravioli with a generous tsp of filling in each. I let them dry on a linen towel for about 30 mins. The end result was a durable yet tender ravioli that did not break apart in the water.

Roasted Vegetable Alfredo Lasagna

Vegan Mom gave me a beautiful extra deep, enamel-coated, cast iron lasagna pan for my birthday. Armed with my new fresh pasta recipe and a fridge full of veggies, I put together this lasagna. I'm not going to post an actual recipe since it did not come out perfectly, but I'll tell you what I did. The idea was to use this alfredo recipe combined with roasted veggies. I did not cook the alfredo sauce ahead of time, figuring that it would cook in the oven. The end result tasted amazing but the sauce did separate, giving it a curdled look. I wonder if cooking the sauce first would be a good idea. I also think the sauce should be a little thinner and that the arrowroot powder is not needed. Anyway, here is an idea you can play around with.

On the BBQ I roasted:
- 1 large eggplant (roast until soft and squishy, about 20 min), then skin
- 1 head of garlic (roast the whole head, skins on, for about 15 mins)
- cremini mushrooms (tossed in olive oil)
- zucchini, sliced lengthwise, tossed in olive oil
- red, yellow, and orange peppers
- red onion, roasted with skin on for about 15 min

- fresh lasagna noodles, dried for 30 mins
- 1 recipe alfredo sauce

I put some sauce on the bottom of the pan, then layered sauce and veggies, and topped the final layer of noodles with a thick layer of sauce. I baked it for 1 hour, covered, in a 350 degree oven. Then I baked for 15 mins, uncovered, to firm up the top.

Let me just say that Son#1 absolutely hated this lasagna. In fact, I think it is the only meal he has refused to eat. I suppose the combo of onions, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms was just too much for him. He never actually took a bite but he was convinced that it was gross. To make it up to him I made a more traditional lasagna with veggie ground round, tofu ricotta, and vegan cheese on top.

Easy Fresh Vegan Pasta

I know I have made pasta before--fresh pasta, pumpkin pasta, and whole wheat pasta. But last weekend my younger brother came for a visit and schooled me in the ways of egg-free pasta, and I realized that I was making things way too complicated. I was operating under the notion that the egg in fresh pasta needed to be replaced, but it really doesn't. Keep it simple, man. Making pasta is also fun for the kids. That is Son #2's hand in the pic above, helping me make lasagna noodles.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 lb
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup semolina flour
- dash of salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
- about 1/2 cup water

METHOD
1. Put flours and salt in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process briefly to mix.
2. With motor running (around speed 6-8), drizzle in oil and then the water. You will notice that the flour will resemble fine bread crumbs as the liquid is added, then coarse bread crumbs, then it will begin to bunch together. When it does this, it is ready.
3. Remove dough from processor and knead briefly until smooth. Pass through your pasta machine as per its instructions, dusting with semolina flour as needed.

TIPS
1. If you dough is too wet, you can work in more semolina as you pass it though the roller.
2. Drying the pasta for 20-30 mins after it is cut makes it more durable and less mushy, and is essential if you want to store the pasta in the fridge to be used later. Hang the pasta on a cupboard door while you get the water boiling.
3. Fresh pasta does not take long to cook--just a minute or so once the water comes back to a boil.

White Bean and Spinach Pasta

In keeping with my recent theme of quick and healthy meals (with greens), here is an Italian dish that is delicious in its simplicity.

INGREDIENTS

- 450g whole wheat rotini

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 large garlic clove, minced

- 1/2 cup marsala, or red wine

- 1 15 oz can canellini beans, rinsed and drained

- 1 28 oz can can diced tomatoes (juice and all)

- basil (fresh or dried) to taste

- salt and pepper to taste

- 3 cups baby spinach (or more)

METHOD

1. Cook pasta in salted water until just about done (leave it a bit underdone so it can suck up the sauce).

2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion for 5-7 mins, until translucent. Add garlic and sauet 1 min more.

3. Add wine and beans and mix well. Let bubble and reduce for a few mins. Add tomatoes and mix well. Season to taste with basil and salt and pepper.

4. Drain pasta and return to pot. Return pot to medium heat. Add in sauce and spinach. Bring to bubbling and let cook for 8-10 mins, or until pasta and spinach has fully cooked and sauce has reduced. Serve.

King Oyster Mushroom Cannelloni

Mushrooms are great and I wish my kids didn't whine about them so much. Sometimes you just don't feel like tofu or seitan, and this is where mushrooms come in (think grilled portabello sandwich when burgers won't do). So, tonight I present you with garlicky mushroom-stuffed cannelloni in a creamy white sauce. It has a seafood kind of feel to it. The recipe makes enough for our ever-expanding and ever-hungry family, so feel free to cut it in half.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12

- 12 oven-ready cannelloni shells

Sauce

- 1/4 cup margarine

- 1/3 cup flour

- 3 1/2 cups plain soy milk

- 1/2 cup soy creamer (or more soy milk)

- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

- 1/4 tsp nutmeg (or more if your nutmeg is as old as mine)

- salt and pepper to taste

Filling

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 6 generous cups chopped king oyster mushrooms (I used 8 mushrooms)

- 1 large garlic clove, minced

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 tbsp vermouth

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Make the sauce: melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 min, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in milk and creamer, and bring to bubbling. Whisk in nutritional yeast until smooth, then season with nutmeg and salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Make the filling. Heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, and salt and cook until starting to reduce. Add vermouth, then cook down until all liquid has disappeared (about 10 mins).

3. Whisk sauce and add 1/2 cup to the filling, mixing well. Stuff filling into shells.

4. If remaining sauce seems too thick, whisk in a little more soy. Put a layer on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place cannelloni into the dish, making sure there is some space between them so they can expand. Cover with the remaining sauce, then cover dish with foil.

5. Bake for 22-25 mins, until sauce is bubbling and pasta is cooked.

Light and Lemony Pasta

I've been meaning to blog this since Valentine's Day when Vegan Mom and I ate it. Needless to say, things have been busy, busy, busy lately. If I have not responded to a question you left on a post, just send me an email and I will get back to you. This dish, as the name indicates, is light and lemony. Even though it is pasta (which we seem to be eating a lot of lately), the bright flavour and wine sauce make it a refreshing meal.

INGREDIENTS

- 250g capellini

- 1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets, steamed

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp margarine

- 1 red onion, halved and sliced

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 1 1/2 cup white wine

- juice of 1 lemon

- zest of 1 lemon

- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

- 1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

- 2 cups cubed chicken-style seitan (optional)

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

1. Get your pasta cooking, and get steaming your broccoli.

2. Heat oil and margarine in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for 5-7 mins, until softened.

3. Add wine to the pan with the lemon juice. Let reduce for about 5 mins. Add zest and nutritional yeast and mix well. Add beans, seitan, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Drain pasta and return to post over medium heat. Pour sauce over top and bring to bubbling. Cook for a few mins to let sauce absorb into pasta a bit. Stir in broccoli and parsley and serve.

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera sounds soooo much better than what this actually is: Clean out the Fridge Pasta. I used to hate pasta primavera because back when I was a vegetarian it seemed to be the only thing available when I went out to eat (kind of like the way I feel about salad and grilled veggies now that I am a vegan). Hmm. That tells you how long ago I was a vegetarian; I actually had the time and money to out to a restaurant. Anyway, despite Son #1's protests about the presence of mushrooms, this dish went over very well. It's not overly saucy, so increase the flour and soy milk if you want more.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

- 300g capellini, cooked

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 1 red pepper, seeded and diced

- 1 large carrot, cut into thin sticks

- 8oz sliced mushrooms

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

- generous tbsp of flour

- 1 1/2 to 2 cups soy milk

- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute onions for 3 mins, until beginning to soften. Add red pepper and carrot and saute for 5 -7 mins, until carrots are starting to get tender. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms have released their water.

2. Add peas and heat through. Sprinkle flour over veggies and mix well. Add 1 1/2 cups of soy milk and nutritional yeast and bring to bubbling. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Drain pasta and return to the pot over medium heat. Pour sauce over top and mix well. Add more soy milk if pasta is too dry.

Pasta Carbonara

Someone suggested making pasta carbonara when I posted the tofu pancetta recipe. Great idea. It is simple and tasty and perfect for a busy week night.

INGREDENTS

- 1 recipe tofu pancetta, cut into small pieces

- 1 clove of garlic, minced

- 300 g pasta, cooked

- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

- 1/2 cup coconut cream (place a can of coconut milk in the fridge. When cold, open and skim the cream off the top)

- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder

- 1/2 cup soy creamer (more as needed)

- salt and pepper to taste

- chopped fresh parsley to garnish

METHOD

1. Make pancetta while pasta is cooking. In the final minute of frying the tofu, add the garlic and fry. Remove from heat. Dissolve arrowroot into creamer and set aside.

2. Drain pasta and return to the pot over medium heat. Add tofu pancetta and nutritional yeast and mix well. Add coconut cream and creamer/arrowroot mixture. Stir constantly. As it heats up, the liquid will thicken. Add a bit more creamer if needed.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper (keeping in mind that the tofu is salty). Garnish and serve.

Orzo Risotto

I was really in the mood for a risotto but didn't have a single grain of arborio rice in the house. I did, however, have a bag of orzo pasta. Since it looks an awful lot like rice, I thought it would make a good substitute.

INGREDIENTS

- 5 cups salted water

- 1 1/2 cup orzo pasta

- 2 tbsp margarine

- 1/2 cup white wine

- 1/2 cup hot vegetable broth (or more)

- 1 cup frozen peas

- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Get the salted water boiling in a pot. Add pasta and cook for 4-5 mins, until pasta is softened but still has plenty of bite. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt margarine in a pan over medium heat. Add pasta and mix well, coating each piece of pasta. Add half of the wine, stirring constantly until absorbed. Repeat with remaining wine.

3. Add enough hot broth, a bit at a time, stirring regularly, until pasta is al dente. Add peas, yeast, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, and cook until peas are done. Serve.

Pasta and Potatoes with Tofu Pancetta

We still had half a loaf of ciabatta to finish, so it was more Italian food tonight. I leafed through The Sopranos Family Cookbook and veganized this recipe. I'm pretty sure the tofu tastes nothing like pancetta, but it does provide a burst of smoky and salty flavour with a chewy texture. Actual pancetta is not smoked (it is salted pork belly which is hung and left to go moldy), so I guess this is more like bacon. I think it would taste good in a BLT.

INGREDIENTS

Tofu Pancetta

- 1/2 cup water

- 2 tsp seasoned salt

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 1/8 tsp nutmeg

- 2 bay leaves

- 1/4 tsp thyme

- 1/2 tsp rosemary

- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

- 1/3 pkg extra firm tofu, sliced (see pic below)

- 1-2 tbsp oil

METHOD

1. Place all ingredients except the tofu and oil in a small pot and bring to boiling. Simmer for 10 mins.

2. While that stuff is simmering, place tofu slices in a non-stick frying pan and place over med-hi heat. Once it starts to sizzle, strain liquid into the pan. Let liquid reduce down, gently turning tofu to coat.

3. Once liquid has completely reduced, add 1 tbsp of oil (more if needed). Fry 3-4 mins per side, until crispy and browned. Reduce heat a bit, if tofu is browning too much. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pasta and Potatoes

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 carrot, chopped

- 1 rib of celery, chopped

- 1 onion, diced

- 1 garlic clove, chopped

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

- 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

- 6 cups water

- 1 small can tomato paste

- salt and pepper to taste

- 12 oz dried macaroni

- 2 cups boiling water

- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

- 1 recipe tofu pancetta

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and parsley for 5-7 mins, until softened. Add potatoes, water, and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are softened.

2. Add macaroni and boiling water and cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is cooked and sauce is absorbed. Add more water, if needed.

3. Add nutritional yeast and tofu pancetta and mix well. Serve.

Fennel and Mushroom Lasagna

I love lasagna but I rarely have the time to make it. I have learned that, like pizza, you don't need to top it with cheese (or cheese substitutes) to make a great lasaga. I make mine nice and saucy so it does not dry out and have yet to be disappointed. The fennel is a nice flavour addition here, and the sausage and mushrooms provide great texture.

INGREDIENTS

- 9 lasagna noodles

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1 small red pepper, diced

- 1 small yellow pepper, diced

- 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms

- 5 king oyster mushrooms, sliced

- 3 vegan Italian sausages, chopped

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 tsp basil

- 1 tsp salt

- freshly ground pepper

- 1 recipe tofu ricotta

- 2 jars spaghetti sauce

ETHOD

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Cook lasagna noodles as per the directions on the box.

2. While noodles are cooking, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute fennel for 10 mins, until softened and lightly browned. Add peppers and saute for 3 mins.

3. Add mushrooms and spices to the pan and mix well. Add a few splashes of water to the pan to help steam the mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 mins, until mushrooms are soft and liquid is reduced. Add sausage and mix well. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Assemble the lasagna. Cover the bottom of a large baking dish with spaghetti sauce and top with three noodles. Spread half of the tofu ricotta on top of the noodles, and top that with half of the mushroom mixture. Top with more spaghetti sauce and then three more noodles. Repeat.

5. Cover the top noodles with a thick later of spaghetti sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake for 60 mins. Remove foil and bake for 30 mins, or until sauce has thickened. Let sit for 20 mins before cutting and serving.

Perfect Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta

With a little experimentation I came up with a much better fresh whole pasta than my first attempt.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup semolina flour

- 1 cup all purpose whole wheat flour

- 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten flour

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp ground flax seed

- 7-8 tbsp water

METHOD

1. Whisk together flours and salt. Whisk flax into 7 tbsp of the water until it begins to thicken.

2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the flax mixture into it. Mix wet into the dry and bring together into a dough. Add more water, if needed. The dough will be tough but you should be able to knead it without any pieces falling off.

3. Wrap in a slightly damp towel and let sit for 20 mins. Roll and cut with a pasta machine.

UPDATE:
I made this recipe again, and this time I sifted the whole wheat flour, then ground the leftover bran and germ in my coffee grinder (which I use to grind flax seeds, etc.) and added it to the dough. It worked very well and made for a smoother dough.

Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta

As promised I experimented with making a whole wheat pasta tonight. Let me just say from the outset that this is not a 100% whole wheat pasta, so some people might be disappointed. I'm pretty sure that a pasta made from all whole wheat flour would turn out pretty badly. My first attempt was to replace the white flour in this recipe with all purpose whole wheat flour. That was a failure. My flour is pretty coarse and so the dough never came together and kept breaking apart with all the bran and wheat germ. That batch went into the garbage. My next attempt was to add wheat germ and bran to the regular recipe--this worked out much better. The dough was more finicky that the regular version, but still cooked up great and had a good texture and taste.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 lb of pasta
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten

- 2 tbsp wheat germ

- 2 tbsp wheat bran
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup tepid water, plus 1-2 tbsp more

METHOD

1. Whisk together flours, germ, bran and salt (if using) in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Put water in the well and slowly incorporate the wet into the dry, making a rough dough, adding more water if needed.

2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth dough (5 mins). The dough should not break apart or crack, so wet your hands if the dough seems too dry. On the other hand, try not to make it too moist. The dough should be smooth and fairly tough.

3. Roll into a log and wrap in a slightly damp towel. Set aside for 20 mins to let the dough relax. Roll and cut as per usual.