Creamy Tofu “Feta” Pasta - Vegan

Olive and her friend Bella brought this home. An easy vegan version of the viral feta pasta using a creamy tofu “feta” stirred into blistered cherry tomatoes, rich olive oil and pasta. Link.

INGREDIENTS

TOFU “FETA”

1 block firm tofu, drain and pat dry with a paper towel

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp miso paste

1/2 tsp salt

Juice of 1 lemon

TOFU “FETA” PASTA
1 pint cherry tomatoes
6–7 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 of the Tofu “Feta” Recipe
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
4–5 leaves of fresh basil
8 oz of dry pasta
1/2 cup reserved pasta liquid
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a food processor, start by adding in your tofu, nutritional yeast, miso paste, salt and lemon juice. Process on high until smooth, then set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large baking dish, add in cherry tomatoes, crushed garlic, half of the olive oil and season with a generous amount of lemon pepper before stirring well to coat evenly. Make a well in the middle of your baking dish and scoop half of the tofu mixture in the middle of the tomatoes, reserving the remaining half to store in the fridge for future use.

Sprinkle in your sun dried tomatoes, dry oregano and dry basil then drizzle the remaining olive oil over top. Place baking dish into the oven for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to burst and release their juices.

As tomatoes and tofu are cooking, cook your pasta according to the package. Make sure to reserve your pasta water before draining the pasta.

Remove baking dish and carefully with a fork or cooking spoon mash the tomatoes and garlic well to release all the juices and stir into tofu to create your sauce.

To the baking dish, add in your pasta and pasta water and stir well to coat. Your sauce will thicken and coat the pasta as you stir to combine.

Stir in your fresh basil and adjust seasonings to taste before serving.

Lemon-Garlic Linguine

 

• INGREDIENTS

  
  

  Salt

  1pound linguine

  8tablespoons unsalted butter

  3garlic cloves, peeled

  1large lemon

  Black pepper

  Grated Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, parsley or a combination, for garnish (optional)

  
  

  PREPARATION

  
  

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain the noodles.

  
  

  Dry the pot, then return to low heat and add the butter. While the butter melts, grate the garlic over the butter. Stir until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the pot, and add a few grinds of black pepper. When the pepper is sizzling, add 1 cup pasta water and the cooked pasta. Increase heat to medium-high and toss vigorously. As the liquid in the pot evaporates, add another few tablespoons of pasta water. Repeat, tossing vigorously and adding pasta water, until the pasta is glossed in a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

  
  

  Remove from heat, squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally, top with Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and/or parsley as you like.

Honey Sesame Pasta Salad

 we make this all summer long. Thank you, Dan Pelosi.

Ingredients

1 lb box of rotini 

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

2 cups diced cucumbers

2 cups fresh corn kernels

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 pound of thinly sliced chicken breast tenders*

1/2 cup of sesame seeds 

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons honey 

Sesame Honey Dijon dressing: 

2/3 cup olive oil 

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/8 cup toasted sesame seeds

salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

*you can easily substitute firm tofu here.

Preparation

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente pasta. After 7 minutes, drain pasta and set aside. 

Lay out your chicken tenders on a cutting board and season with salt. On a small plate, pour ½ cup of sesame seeds. Evenly coat each side of the chicken in the sesame seeds. Heat a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey. Place the half of the chicken in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey into the pan and repeat with the rest of the chicken. Cut the chicken into ½ inch pieces. Set aside.

While the chicken rests, make the dressing. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until well-combined. 

Put the pasta in a large bowl and add in 2 cups each of tomato, cucumber, corn, and lettuce. Toss to coat.  Cut the chicken into ½ inch pieces and serve either on top of the pasta salad or tossed into the pasta salad. 

Enjoy! This pasta salad can be served warm or cold and is easily made ahead of time!

Spaghetti With Ramps

Mid to late April this is a classic in Pine Bush. 

Ingredients 

One package of pasta

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 bunches ramps (about 18 ounces), greens and bulbs separated, greens torn into 2-inch pieces, bulbs thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more, shaved, for serving

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

2lemons, halved, for serving

Preparation

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium. Add ramp bulbs; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes.
When pasta is nearly done, add ramp greens to bulbs and toss to coat.
Drain pasta, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta to skillet along with ½ cup cooking liquid; toss to coat. Cook, tossing often and adding more cooking liquid as needed, until a thick, glossy sauce coats pasta. Add grated Parmesan and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Divide among bowls, top with shaved Parmesan, and serve with lemon halves.

One-Pan Salmon Niçoise With Orzo

  

 

 

INGREDIENTS

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

This was so good. NYTimes. 

1
large shallot, coarsely chopped


2
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


1
cup orzo



Kosher salt and pepper


½
cup pitted kalamata olives


1
pint cherry or other small tomatoes, halved (8 to 10 ounces)


2
tablespoons red wine vinegar


1
tablespoon Dijon mustard



Handful of basil leaves or pinch of thyme leaves (optional)


4
(4- to 5-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or off
8
ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths


                   


                   


Transfer 1 tablespoon of the chopped shallot to a medium bowl, then add the remaining shallot to a large (12-inch) skillet. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium high. When the oil is sizzling, add the orzo, season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and stir constantly until light golden, 2 to 4 minutes.

 

Add the olives plus 2¼ cups water; bring to a boil, then cover the skillet with a lid, baking sheet or foil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook according to package directions until the orzo is al dente.

 

Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, red wine vinegar, mustard, herbs (if using) and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the reserved shallots in the bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper then set aside. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

 

When the orzo is al dente, add the green beans and stir to combine. If orzo looks dry, add ¼ cup water; you want it to be wet but not soupy. Nestle the salmon in a single layer into the orzo, skin-side up if applicable. Cover and cook until the salmon and orzo are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 2 minutes. If your salmon has skin, peel it off and discard. Top the orzo and salmon with the tomatoes and vinaigrette.

 

Orzo Salad With Peppers and Feta

  Link from NYTimes.

1pound orzo

Kosher salt and pepper

¼cup extra-virgin olive oil

1medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)

3large or 4 medium red, yellow or orange bell peppers (about 1¼ pounds), cored, seeded and chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

1fresh thyme sprig

1tablespoon minced garlic

1medium tomato, diced into ½-inch pieces

1tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

4ounces feta cheese, thinly sliced or crumbled

 

Cook orzo in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, pressing out excess liquid. Spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, bell peppers and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until broken down and juices release, about 8 minutes.

 

Add the reserved pasta water and stir to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the skillet. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl to cool slightly to lukewarm, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to speed up the cooling process. Discard thyme sprig.

 

Add cooled orzo, lemon juice, basil and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well, then transfer to a large serving bowl or platter. Garnish with more basil.

 

Wild Ramp Pesto

We picked ramps and made this with pasta. It’s yummy with peas and spinach too. 

1 bunch of ramps

1/2 cup walnuts (toasted)

1/3 cup olive oil (or 1/2 cup, you kind of have to eyeball it)

1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

sea salt

pepper

a squirt of lemon

Wash and cut off the leaves of the ramps. Optional step: blanche the ramp leaves in boiling water. Some say this makes the pesto more bright and vibrant. I think it's plenty beautiful either way. Chop the ramps and walnuts just a bit and put them in your food processor. Add most of the cheese (save a sprinkle for serving) and a good dash of salt and pepper. Pouring the olive oil in slowly, process contents until they combine and look, well... pesto-y. Taste for seasoning and add a good squirt of lemon. Use to top your favorite pasta, or grilled bread... and enjoy.

(Eden washing the ramps in the river. May 2020)

pasta salad with roasted tomatoes

Serves 8

Roasted tomatoes
4 cups (about 680 grams) grape tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt

Oregano dressing
1 big clove or 2 small cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano (if you can find it, Sicilian is my favorite)
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil

Assembly
1 pound (455 grams) dried pasta, a bite-sized shape of your choosing (I used reginetti), cooked until 1 to 2 minutes before doneness and drained
6 ounces (170 grams) crumbled salty cheese, such as ricotta salata, feta, queso fresco
1/2 cup (70 grams) pine nuts, well-toasted and cooled
1/2 cup (70 grams) pitted and rough-chopped olives of your choice (I used gaeta here, but like them even more when oil-cured)
Salt and pepper
Handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Roast tomatoes: Heat oven to 300°F (150°C). Cover 1 to 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Cut each small tomato in half lengthwise and arrange cut side up in a single layer on prepared sheets. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake in oven for approximately 90 minutes, until somewhat shriveled and dry to the touch, but not fully dehydrated. Set aside until needed, letting them cool. [Note, if you pine nuts are not yet toasted, you can place them in the oven for the last 10 minutes, shaking them once or twice for even coloring. Let cool as well before using.]

Make dressing: Roughly chop the garlic on a cutting board, then add oregano, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Mince the mixture with your knife until it’s a grainy herb paste. Transfer to a small bowl, whisk in lemon juice and vinegar, then slowly drizzle in oil, whisking the whole time. Taste and adjust as needed; you might need more salt or vinegar. You want a strongly flavored dressing that won’t get lost in that big bowl of ingredients.

Assemble salad: In a giant bowl, place drained pasta, roasted tomatoes, cheese, pine nuts and olives and toss gently to combine. Add dressing to taste, along with any extra salt and pepper needed. Finish with basil. Salad can be eaten right away, but will keep in the fridge up to 3 days. This is also perfect for picnics and potlucks, as it can handle being out in the sun without going south.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/05/pasta-salad-with-roasted-tomatoes/

Sesame Noodles

Thyme Pasta Frittata

I made this last night and it was so yummy. Plus, the best thing was that Olive and Eden made it with me. Thanks Giada De Laurentiis.

Ingredients
* 6 eggs
* 3 tablespoons whipping cream
* 1 cup grated Parmesan
* 3 cups cooked and cooled penne pasta
* 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 lemon, zested
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Stir in the cheese, pasta, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Using a spatula, slide the frittata onto a dinner plate. Carefully invert the frittata back into the skillet and continue to cook until firm, 5 to 6 minutes

Garnish with the remaining thyme. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Zucchini Strand Spaghetti

I cannot wait to try this Zucchini Strand Spaghetti from Smitten Kitchen.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound whole-wheat dried spaghettini
3/4 pound zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus a small piece

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, cut the zucchini with the fine French-fry cutter on a mandoline. If you do not have one, cut by hand into the longest, finest julienne you can manage. Season with salt and pepper. If your zucchini is very finely cut, it does not need to be cooked. Otherwise, place in a colander, suspend over the pasta pot, cover the pot, and steam the zucchini until still slightly crunchy, about 2 minutes.

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and saute briefly until light brown. Turn on the exhaust fan and add the red pepper flakes. Quickly mix in the basil and remove from the heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain through a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl; add the zucchini, basil oil (optional, recipe below), the garlic mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Grate about 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top and serve at once.

Basil Oil (or any other herb-flavored olive oil)
For soft herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro or tarragon: Use 4 cups packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don’t press on the mixture, tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster.

Baked Ziti

This recipe from Cook's Illustrated is terrific. I don't even like this dish usually and now it is in my regular repertoire.

The test kitchen prefers baked ziti made with heavy cream, but whole milk can be substituted by increasing the amount of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons and increasing the cooking time in step 3 by 1 to 2 minutes. Our preferred brand of mozzarella is Dragone Whole Milk Mozzarella. Part-skim mozzarella can also be used, but avoid preshredded cheese, as it does not melt well. Also, the recipe swaps ricotta for cottage cheese, which maintains its creamy texture even when hot.

Ingredients
1 pound whole milk cottage cheese or 1 percent cottage cheese (see note)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Table salt
1 pound ziti or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven).

Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.



NOTE: The Right Degree of Al Dente
To ensure perfectly al dente pasta in the finished dish, we boil ziti just until it begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes—half the time most recipes call for. The pasta continues to cook in the oven, where it absorbs the flavorful sauce. To compensate, we add nearly twice the amount of sauce as in most recipes.

Quick Tomato Sauce

Makes 3 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta. Published May 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

This full-flavored tomato sauce takes only 15 minutes to prepare. High-quality canned tomatoes will make a big difference in this sauce. Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated onion , from 1 medium onion (see note)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Table salt
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see note)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper

Instructions
Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Pasta with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Garlic

This is another one of those dishes where I typed in "Pasta, Shrimp, Tomatoes" into Epicurious and came up with a recipe. Simple and satisfying.

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup dry white wine
1 egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
10 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
6 ounces spaghettini
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
large garlic clove, mince
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil

Whisk 1 tablespoon wine, egg white and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Mix in shrimp; sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Drain shrimp; add to skillet. Stir 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic and remaining 1/2 cup wine and simmer until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta; divide between large shallow bowls. Using tongs, place shrimp atop pasta. Boil sauce in skillet until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over shrimp. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Daria's Macaroni & Cheese

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
2 & 1/2 cups milk
1 & 1/4 cups Colby cheese
1 cup Cheddar cheese
bread crumbs & butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 1 & 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Cook 1/2 lb of macaroni until tender.

Melt butter, whisk in flour and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, stir for 15 minutes, until thick. Remove mixture from heat and stir in 2/3 of the cheese. Stir cooked macaroni into milk mixture and pour into the casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Mix bread crumbs and melted butter, sprinkle over macaroni. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sarah's Tomato Vodka Sauce

(This is my favorite quick pasta dish, if you don't have the vodka on hand feel free to skip it, and the sauce still tastes great, if you like a lot of spice add more crushed red pepper.)

3 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, lightly drained and chopped
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt & pepper
1 pound penne

[NOTE: Put the water on to boil while you prepare the ingredients for the sauce and the pasta will be ready at the same time you finish the sauce. ]

Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook onion about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, vodka and red pepper flakes, simmer briskly for 10 minutes. Stir in cream, add basil, salt & pepper. Cook penne and toss with sauce.