Carbonara is a pasta dish with bacon, egg and cheese and is one of the classics of the Italian cuisine. After my boyfriend raved about a vegan version we had in an Italian restaurant, I was inspired to surprise him with my own creation. Since then it has been one of his favourite dishes. To make it more balanced, I also prepare a huge salad. Onion and garlic don’t really belong to a traditional Italian carbonara. But it tastes better to me.

Ingredients (4 people):

• 400-500 g pasta
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 180 g smoked, salted tofu
• 1 big onion, minced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/8 TSP salt
• 1/8 TSP turmeric powder
• A pinch of nutmeg
• ¼ TSP black pepper
• 4 TBSP chickpea flour
• 400 ml pasta water
• 85 g cashews or sunflower seeds
• 3 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes (for cheesy taste)
• 1/2 TSP Kala Namak salt (for eggy taste)
• Few drops (less than 1/8 TSP) of lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Powder the cashew nuts in a blender.
2. Heat half of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and roast the diced tofu for 10-15 minutes. Then put the tofu aside in a bowl.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
4. Heat the other half of the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and sauté for 7-10 minutes until the onions are translucent.
5. Add the garlic, salt, turmeric, nutmeg, pepper and stir occasionally for a minute.
6. Add the chickpea flour and stir occasionally for another minute.
7. Add the pasta water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the stove.
8. Add the cashews, yeast flakes (B-vitamins are killed at 60°C / 140°F), Kala Namak, lemon juice and stir well.
9. Add the drained pasta and roasted tofu to the thick sauce and stir well to combine. Serve warm.