This recipe is from when we were 95% Vegans for 2 plus years and it did not make it into my veggies cookbook since it was on the cookie yellow pad - shameless plug - you can buy my Veggies cookbook on Amazon at this link https://www.amazon.com/dp/1983087858
On to the recipe, a lot of vegan recipes and dishes are very carb-based, so I swapped out the pasta with zucchini noodles, well just zucchini cut in a spiralizer, I leave them raw since it adds a nice crunch to the dish.
I am sorry there is a lot of steps but it is so worth it at the end. I actually served this and our guest thought there was meat, on pasta, not zucchini.
You can make this with pasta but use a really meaty pasta like Calamarata, Elicoidali, Lumache, Mafaldine, Maltagliati, Paccheri, Pappardelle, or Trofiette - it needs to be substantial. If you need wonderful pasta to go https://buonitalia.com
Ingredients
2 pints of Crimini mushrooms, stems removed
1 large head of cauliflower, broken up into the florets
4 zucchinis, spiralized, salted and place in a sieve to drain - If using
1 lb of pasta - if using
5 shallots, minced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
4 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeds removed
1 4oz can of organic tomato paste
4 tablespoons of butter - Remember 95% vegan, you can not give up butter or cheese - You may not need all this butter, but what the heck add it anyway
1/4 cup Romano Cheese, freshly grated - see butter
1/4 cup of Grana Padano, freshly grated - see butter
1/4 cup of dry red wine - remember if you would not drink it do not cook with it
1 Fresno chili, minced and seeds removed
6 pigs of fresh rosemary, leaves minced
a handful of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped and stems removed
1 lemon, juiced and zested
Olive Oil
Salt
Veggie stock
Directions
First up I am sorry for all the steps but trust me its worth it
Place mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until fine, small grains, transfer to a bowl, you are going to need a lot of bowls, warning. Wipeout food processor, no need to clean.
Working in batches, place the cauliflower florets into the food processor to create "rice", once all processed transfer to another bowl.
In a large deep skillet over med-high heat add 2 tablespoons of butter and a healthy drizzle of olive oil, about a 1/4 cup, once shimmering add mushrooms and saute until starting to brown and most of the water released, next, add the shallots, more oil, and butter if needed, once shallots are soft add garlic, chili, and rosemary, stir until fragrant. Next, add the diced tomatoes, wine, and tomato paste, saute until sauce begins to darken, Now add cauliflower, parsley, lemon juice, zest, and a cup of veggie stock (or pasta water).
Note: if you are making pasta instead of zucchini, reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water, you will not need the veggie stock. You need to add the liquid if the sauce begins to become too thick.
Once the sauce becomes nice and gooey if you are making pasta or using the zucchini now its time to plate.
Pasta users - transfer pasta to the sauce, toss to combine, add in cheese, toss again and plate, garnish with parsley, drizzle with some Olive Oll.
Zucchini users - Plate the zucchini on each plate, spoon the sauce over the zucchini and garnish with the cheese and the parsley, drizzle with some Olive oil.
Note: if doing the 95% vegan version add half the cheese to the sauce first and garnish with the rest.
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