Handrolled fazzoletti layered with creamy tofu, sauteed kale, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives
This makes a larger portion for 2, a smaller appetizer for 4.
Ingredients
For the pasta
1 cup semolina flour
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/3 cup water
1T olive oil
2 liters water and 2t coarse sea salt for boiling
1T nutritional yeast (or so — for garnish)
A pinch coarse sea salt per fazzoletti
For the kale
3T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
2 scallions, minced (reserve 3″-4″ for garnish)
1T garlic
1/4t red chili flakes
1T dried green herbs, rubbed (1)
3 cups kale
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (the
dehydrated kind, not jarred)
2T kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: Replace 2T olives with 1T olives, 1T pickled capers for a little less fat and a richer flavor.
For the tofu filling
125g extra firm, high quality tofu
1 cup unsweetened plant milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2T sauerkraut vinegar (I use unpasteurized)
2T sesame seed butter
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 1T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: Double the tofu filling for a richer, but heavier dish.
Directions
Start the pasta, then make the kale and then the tofu.
Mix the flour and salt for the pasta. Press your tofu ahead of time if required. Whisk the oil with the 1/3 cup water.
Mix the wet and the dry. Knead until a smooth elastic dough forms, and then another 2 minutes. Cover with a wet, warm tea towel and let the dough rest for at least 15 minutes.
When ready, roll the pasta out in a large rectangle, quite thin — thinner than 1/8″ you might normally roll for pasta.
Fazzoletti are meant to be quite delicate. So, get your squares as thin as you can get them without tearing. Cut at least 12, 4″x4″ squares, keeping in mind that you may lose a couple during the boiling. Use any extra pasta to roll thin and cut additional squares.
Let the pasta dry while you bring the 2 liters water to a boil go forward with the rest of the dish.
In a large frying pan, bring the oil and sea salt to heat on medium. Add the scallion and green herbs. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for another minute. Add kale and the sun-dried tomatoes.
Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the kale is a nice dark green and both the kale and tomatoes are soft. Set aside.
While the kale sautes, puree the ingredients for the tofu up to but not including the tapioca mixture. In a small sauce pan, heat the mixture on medium until it comes to a light simmer. Add the tapioca mixture slowly, stirring continuously, until it thickens. Set aside.
Once water is boiling, add the fazzoletti to the water, Boil, swirling the pan occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until the pasta are floating. Simmer another minute if you didn’t roll them extra thin. Drain carefully and add 2T of the pasta water to the kale.
Rinse the fazzoletti thoroughly with warm water. Set the fazzoletti out in an even layer on a clean cutting board to dry for a moment. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and a pinch sea salt each.
To assemble, season the kale and the tofu to taste. Then layer the fazzoletti one sheet at a time with 3T heaping or so kale mixture to 2T scant or so tofu, then another layer of fazzoletti, press down lightly to consolidate the previous layer, fill, press, and so on.
You can mix the kale and the tofu for a tidier fill if you prefer, but the flavors will be less discrete. Use your best judgement to match the amount of filling you have to the amount of fazzoletti. Repeat until your filling and pasta are used up.
To finish, garnish with a little tofu and kale on top and some scallion green sliced on an angle and serve.
If you prefer a more rustic version, toss the fazzoletti with the kale and tofu carefully, and serve jumbled up (this emphasizes the softness of the pasta with its folding on the plate). You can also fold and seam the fazzoletti before boiling for a stuffed version.
1. I use herbes de Provence, but a simple mix of basil and oregano, what’s often sold in North America as “Italian seasoning” or your own blend will be fine.