Pasta dishes are without a doubt one of my favourite things to make. They’re such a quick and easy weeknight dinner option and a great way to use up whatever veggies you have leftover in the fridge. They’re also the perfect dish if you’re cooking for lots of people or want to prep a large batch of something in advance. Pasta dishes were always one of my favourite things growing up and something that I would order at a restaurant every time without fail. As a family, it was something that my mum also cooked lots of; which is where I think my love for making pasta dishes has come from.
Olives are such an easy way to really jazz up a dish and add an incredible burst of rich flavours. They work really well here to compliment the flavour of the pesto and I find that the heat from a good pinch of chilli flakes adds that extra kick to the dish! Personally, when making pasta dishes like these I don’t miss the meat element of the meal or feel that it’s any less filling that it would be. Almost all of my pasta recipes are now plant based and you know me, I could quite happily tuck into a huge bowl of veggies by themselves!
Ingredients- Serves 2 people
- 200g chestnut mushrooms
- 1 pack Fragata pitted olives with sea salt
- 2 servings pasta of choice- use GF if needed
- 2 heaped Tbsp pesto
- Olive oil for cooking
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Chilli flakes- optional
- 150g firm tofu
- Dash of mixed herbs
- 1 large clove garlic
Method
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
Cut the tofu into cubes and add these into a frying pan over medium- high heat and cook until nice and crisp on the outside. Transfer these into a bowl and set aside.
Slice the mushrooms and add these into the pan, along with a slight drizzle of olive oil and the olives. Crush in the garlic clove and sauté these over medium-high heat until beautifully golden and fragrant.
Once the mushrooms are cooked, add in the tofu and season everything to taste with salt, pepper and mixed herbs.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water, reserving a little behind. Add the pasta into the veggies and stir through the pesto and chilli flakes if using. Feel free to pour in some of the extra pasta water to help everything mxi together and prevent the dish becoming too dry.
Serve with some fresh basil leaves and some extra chilli flakes.
