If you have never tried seitan (or perhaps are unfamiliar with what it is), this simple, tasty pasta recipe is a great way to enjoy it. Seitan provides a good source of protein and texture for this pasta dish. In addition to the porcini mushrooms, the bechamel sauce incorporates the mushroom broth used to rehydrate the dried mushrooms and packs some extra flavor into the creamy sauce. This vegetarian dish can be prepared quickly and is a a great choice for a healthy, hassle free, evening meal any day of the week.
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12 oz. whole wheat linguine
8 oz. traditional seitan, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms (rehydrated and roughly chopped)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped parsley (garnish)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bechamel Sauce:
4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups mushroom broth (saved from above)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
YIELD: 4 servings
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Rehydrate the dried porcini mushrooms (e.g., soak for a few minutes in hot water). Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mushroom liquid for making the bechamel sauce (see below). Be sure to strain the liquid for any grit or particles. Drain and roughly chop the mushrooms. Set aside for later.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and seitan and cook until browned (approximately 6 minutes).
- When finished, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add onions and a bit of salt to the pan, and cook until the onions are soft and lightly browned (approximately 5 minutes).
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds - 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the frozen peas and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the seitan and stir to combine.
- Remove all ingredients from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the linguine according to package instructions.
- To make the Bechamel sauce, heat a pan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil and flour. Whisk these together to brown the mixture a bit.
- Slowly add the mushroom broth and almond milk, whisking frequently until thickened.
- Add the cayenne pepper, ground sage, a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the pasta with the sauce, and divide among 4 warmed serving plates. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.