I daresay my cast iron love will continue for quite some time, dearest blog readers. So far, I’m enjoying the non-stick joy quite a bit. I’m enjoying its solidity and the fact it doesn’t wander around the top of the hob with the slightest stir. Of course it’s really very handsome as well, and I rather suspect it could make just about any old dinner look super.
Tonight I proper fancied a nice creamy mushroomy pasta. We got a lovely bag of big closed cuppers in our veg box this week and I picked up some nice fat organic garlic bulbs the other day so I started from there.
To me, thyme is a natural accompaniment to rich creamy sauces like these, so I used a polenta and thyme mix to coat the mini tofu slabs and threw them onto my beloved griddle pan (which I’ve managed to not kill…….yet)
I used a quarter cup of Follow Your Heart cheese shreds in this recipe, but you could sub a quarter cup of nutritional yeast if you don’t have any cheese to hand.
Creamy mushroom penne with thyme crusted tofu
Ingredients
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 large mushrooms sliced
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 splash while wine (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non dairy milk
- 1/4 cup vegan mozzarella shreds
- 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
- half 200g pack tofu chopped into 'steaks'
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tbsp polenta/coarse cornmeal
- salt & pepper to taste
- penne pasta for two
Instructions
- Start to heat a pan of salted water for the pasta.
- In a very small bowl mix together the thyme, polenta, salt and pepper.
- Turn the heat on to both the griddle pan and skillet/frying pan. Dip the tofu in olive oil and coat in the thyme/polenta mixture. Put the tofu into the griddle pan to cook; you’ll need to turn these over halfway through cooking the mushroom sauce.
- Cook the onion and garlic in a little oil until they start to soften. Add the chopped mushrooms, and wait until they start to soften too. Mix in the plain/thickening flour and mix well.
- If using, add the splash of white wine and stir well. Add the soya milk and reduce the heat, letting the sauce thicken.
- When the pasta is nearly cooked, mix in the chopped parsley and cheese shreds, then turn off the heat.
- Drain the pasta and mix well with the mushroom sauce. Serve with the crusted tofu on top.
Notes
Since springtime has rudely given way to winter again, despite the month of May being days away, this hearty dinner really hit the spot.
Yesterday I went to a conference in London; I dragged myself out of bed at 5am and didn’t get home until nearly 8pm so I was feeling pooooooped when I got home tonight (you might have noticed my distinct lack of interesting sentences). This was still pretty easy to put together though, and would make a super tasty dinner without the tofu, if you’re feeling extra lazy (hallo, yes, I am with you on this one!)
I sure hope you all have a splendid long weekend; have you got any exciting plans for the bank holiday?
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Gosh this looks delicious!
Thanks chum! It was super tasty. I kinda feel like…..a bit more cheese and some macaroni, YES.
The mushroom sauce looks mouthwatering!
Thank you! It was quite yum; I’m glad I caught a snap before throwing all the pasta in 🙂
Oh wow, this dish looks amazing! 🙂
Thanks Julie! I think the cast iron did me lots of aesthetic favours here 😀
That looks amazing… the mushroomy pasta… so great!
We don’t have a bank holiday this weekend (I don’t even know what that is?), but it is our Labour Day public holiday today (Monday). I have been to yoga and am off to watch a terrible movie with a friend where members of 90’s boy bands save the world from a zombie apocalypse. Should be glorious.
Haha that sounds very interesting indeed! Are they genuine 90s boy band members? (This would probably be a deal breaker for me.)
Hmm, a bank holiday is basically a public holiday I think, obviously defined by the banks being closed! Because I work in a University, it’s closed on BHs so I always get a free day off, which is great 😀 Oh, except this weekend I have tonsillitis so slightly less great, but still ok!
That looks divine – I have a secret weakness for creamy sauces with pasta! I hope you’re enjoying the very last of your bank holiday!
Thank you! I looooove creamy pasta sauces though my partner is less keen so I made the most of it while he was away for the weekend 😀