The other day I was trolling the web, and I stumbled across a photo of the most enticing ragu. It was shortly after 6PM, and my stomach started to rumble just as the photo loaded. Yup, I was having ragu for dinner.
Since I don’t do meat, I decided to go with a mushroom and onion base. I started by slicing the mushrooms and cooking them in olive oil (pomace) (USA / Canada) over medium heat until they had shrunk and browned. They smelled amazing. Next up was more olive oil (pomace) (USA / Canada) and the onion, and then some red wine. Tomato paste, canned tomatoes, some bell peppers, and a block of grated extra firm tofu simmered for a while, and I finished everything off with a heaping pile of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Served over whole wheat fusilli with a lot of shredded cheese, it made an awesome meal.
Tofu & Mushroom Ragu
10 white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil (pomace) (USA / Canada)
½ cup red wine
1 (798mL can) crushed tomatoes
1 (150mL can) tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
200g pressed tofu, shredded
½ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Basil, oregano, thyme, and parsley to taste
Salt & pepper
Pasta of choice
Grated cheddar, to serveHeat 1 tbsp olive oil (pomace) (USA / Canada) over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms in it, stirring frequently, until they have shrunk and browned nicely, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil (pomace) (USA / Canada) and the onion and cook until the onion is tender and beginning to brown.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, and then add the tomato products, the peppers, the tofu, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season to taste with herbs, salt, and pepper, and let simmer for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the pasta.
Serve with grated cheddar & enjoy!
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