My vegetarian bolognese brings all the Italian Nonnas to the yard…
Everytime I go to an Italian restaurant I’m so tempted to order Nonnas homestyle spaghetti bolognese. After all there is nothing more comforting than rustic homestyle Italian food. The only problem is that a classic bolognese sauce is cooked with mince meat, which makes it a deal breaker for me. Not anymore! I can have my bolognese and can eat it too.
This vegetarian bolognese packs the rustic Ialian homestyle flavourful punch, no animals were harmed or killed in its making and it’s just so easy. You could make a big batch and freeze it too for ready to eat meals on weeks nights when cooking is the last thing on your mind.
Ingredients: 16 Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6
- 400 gms of canned brown lentils
- 300 gms of firm tofu, crumbled
- One red onion, finely chopped
- Two medium Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 400 gms of canned tomatoes or Pasata
- Three to four pods of garlic, minced
- One cinnamon stick
- One large bayleaf
- One teaspoon of dried rosemary leaves
- One teaspoon smoked paprika
- One teaspoon cumin powder
- Half a teaspoon chilli powder
- Two teaspoons of sugar
- Salt to season
- Four tablespoons of olive oil
- One litre of vegetable stock
Drain the lentils, thoroughly rinse them and keep aside.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Once aromatic add garlic and onion, cook until onions are lightly caramelised.
Now add tomatoes, Passata and all the dried herbs and spices, mix well. Add crumbled tofu, cover the pot and cook the ingredients on a medium for seven to ten minutes.
Once the tofu is soft, add the stock and lentils. Mix well, cover the pot and cook the sauce of a low heat for 40 to 45 minutes. Stir the sauce from time to time to help break the protein and infuse the flavour thoroughly.
Season with salt and mix well. Let the sauce simmer for another five to seven minutes. In the meantime cook spaghetti as per packet instructions.
To serve toss the sauce with pasta and ladle a generous serve on top. Garnish with cracked pepper and grated Parmesan. I can guarantee this spaghetti will bring all the Italian Nonnas to the yard and you can say – Damn right it is better than yours!
