Pasta

Alfie Steiner: My Fiancé’ s Favourite – Turkish Style Pasta

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
2 people

Used in this recipe

Ingredients

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
300g block extra firm tofu, patted dry + crumbled into mince-like pieces
1 small brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp turkish red pepper pas
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
250g conchiglie (or farfalle)
250g greek-style yoghurt (plant-based)
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
50g salted butter (plant-based)
1 tsp pul biber

To Serve:

100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
Small handful fresh parsley, leaves finely chopped
Lemon wedges

Method

Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the crumbled tofu, seasoning with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, without moving for 3-5 minutes, or until beginning to brown + crisp up. Stir well, then continue to fry until golden-brown all over for another 3-5 minutes.
Whilst your tofu browns, mix together yoghurt with garlic and lemon juice. Stir, season with salt, then set aside in the fridge.
Once your tofu is cooked, set aside. In the same pan, add 1 tbsp more oil. Add the onion with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, frying for 30s until fragrant, then add the red pepper paste, paprika and cumin. Stir well, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes before re-adding your tofu. Stir everything together, and cook out for another 2-3 minutes until everything is a nice dark red colour, adding a splash more oil if required, or water if the mixture is catching.
Get your pasta onto a boil in salted water, and cook until al dente. Whilst your pasta cooks, melt your butter in a small pan on a medium heat. Once beginning to bubble and foam, add the pul biber, mixing well + allowing to infuse for 30s.
Drain your pasta, then to serve, spread a dollop or two of yoghurt at the bottom of shallow bowls. Add the pasta, then top with the rest of the yoghurt. Sprinkle over the tofu mixture, then top with the cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley and lemon wedges.

Top Tips

Don't rush the tofu - we want it to be nicely golden-brown and crisp all over.
Make the smaller elements like the garlic yoghurt and pul biber butter whilst you wait for your tofu to cook and your pasta to boil.
This is a completely vegan recipe, but you can absolutely make it vegetarian by using dairy butter or yoghurt if that's what you prefer.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

From £6.99

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a distinctive, rich and fruity flavour that beautifully complements fresh ingredients. Perfect for sauces, marinades, drizzling and dipping, it’s a versatile addition to everyday cooking.