Spaghetti and Vegan Meatballs, Chocolate and Coconut Milk Ganache Tart

Dinner 3/14

Spaghetti and Vegan Meatballs

Dessert

Chocolate and Coconut Milk Ganache Tart

Monday Night Comfort Food: We Haz It.



We started with one 16oz. block of extra firm tofu chopped very fine and added 1 tsp. red pepper flake, 2 tbs. minced shallot, 1 tbs. garlic (we like garlic), 1 tbs. minced parsley and salt & pepper to taste. You can play around with the proportions depending on what you like.

How wet the mixture is will determine how much vital wheat gluten is needed to be mixed in to make them hold together, but start with a 1/4 cup and add more if the mixture seems loose. Knead for a few minutes to develop the gluten formation and then shape them into the size of a small golf ball. The balls were pan-fried in olive oil in a cast-iron pan, rotating often to keep them browned, not burned. Add to the sauce for few minutes, or just put them on top of the spaghetti.



Dessert was a last minute improv from Liz, working with some coconut milk that needed to be used up, mixed into melted chocolate to make a quick ganache which was added to a chocolate graham cracker and cacao nib crust then refrigerated for an hour or so. It was so quick, I didn't even see her make it -- so I was extremely surprised after dinner. ;)



The tart was topped with a pinch of smoked sea salt and some whipped Soyatoo with a little extra vanilla folded in. Fantastic!