Hi Readers !
I am back with another Pasta recipe 🙂 Cherry Tomato Pasta with Mushrooms and a brown sauce.
Pasta is like the most quick and convenient dinner for me at times. Cook the Pasta in one Pot. Saute the veggies in other. Make a quick sauce. It all comes together into a quick, luxurious and sumptuous meal. Have you noticed food has such a connection to emotions. Besides a physical necessity it also ties to your emotional well being. Food can uplift your spirits.. The happiness after a good sumptuous meal.. the warmth in your tummy and the general feeling of well being after a hearty meal. I am sure many of you resonate with me on this 🙂 Moreover when its vegan and so delicious without any dairy it magnifies the happiness 🙂 Making this recipe for the first time was such a happy feeling. It tasted yum made with a few basic ingredients. And its been made many times since in my kitchen!
Cherry tomatoes are sweetish with a very gentle tangy flavor which for me works very well in a pasta sauce. Trust me when you get used to them you will stop buying the pasta sauces available in stores. Lets choose healthy over preservatives! Combine with a few basic veges of your choice or just enjoy it as it is in your pastas. We will make a sauce with the tomatoes but to make the dish more creamy and cheesy I also add a flavorful sauce made with whole wheat flour. It gives a feel of a rich Pasta which fills up your tummy real good ! For some, this sauce may make the Pasta heavy but for me it really ties together the dish well.
Ingredients
150-200G of Whole Wheat Spaghetti Pasta
200G Cherry Tomato
1 Cup Spinach leaves (Washed)
150G Button Mushrooms chopped
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste
50G Grated Tofu for garnish
Fresh Basil leaves for Garnish
2 Tsp Chili Flakes (optional)
Whole Wheat Brown Sauce
4 Tbsp Whole wheat flour
1 Small Onions Thinly Sliced
2-3 small Garlic cloves
1 Tsp dried Rosemary leaves
1 Tsp Soy Sauce (optional)
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
2 tbsp Vegan Cheese (optional)
2 tsp Olive oil
Half cup water (and more)
Salt to taste
Steps
Sauce Recipe
1. Mix the flour in half cup of water.
2. Saute the onions & garlic till they are soft. Add rosemary leaves and combine.
3. Add the flour & water mix and let it cook for 5 minutes till it thickens. If the mixture gets too dry add little water and mix and continue to cook.
4. Once the flour and cooked. (It thickens and becomes slightly gooey). Add Soy sauce & ACV. Add nutritional yeast and vegan cheese also if you have.
5. Season with Salt. Keep aside and allow to cool a bit. Always have a little taste to check the salt.
6. Grind the sauce into a uniform mixture in a processor. Dilute the sauce to a pouring consistency. Not too thick nor thin.
Pasta
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water with a few drops of Olive oil. Follow the instructions on the pack to cook it right.
2. In a Pan heat Olive oil. Add Garlic while the oil is still heating.
3. Once the oil is hot and you can smell the aroma of garlic add cherry tomatoes cook these on low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
4. The tiny tomatoes will burst on their own making a sauce. If the tomatoes do not burst squish them with a fork and allow these to cook down for few more minutes.
5. Add chopped mushrooms and saute. Cook to the point where they still remain crunchy and have a bite to them.
6. Add spinach leaves and stir a few times till you see the leaves getting wilted.
7. Season this sauce with salt and pepper. Use lesser salt as we are adding whole wheat sauce too.
8. Add the spaghetti and gently fold the ingredients together.
9. Add the wheat sauce to the pasta and combine bringing it to a creamy consistency you desire.
10. Serve hot with fresh herbs , grated Tofu and Chili flakes for a touch of spice 🙂
THE VEGAN BIRDIE 