Dairy Free Pasta Shells w/ Fresh Tomato and Basil (Vegan/GF)
In honor of those fabulous Summer Heirloom tomatoes!
One 8 oz box of Tinkyada® Pasta Shells
One 8 oz bag Daiya® Mozzarella style cheese shreds
One 12.3 oz box extra firm organic tofu* (or at least Non-GMO)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
3 fresh garlic cloves
Fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 3 cups yield once cut)
Fresh basil leaves (to taste, about a dozen nice sized leaves)
Preheat oven to 375° F
Pre-cook your shells, and place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Meanwhile, as your shells are being prepped, mash the tofu in a mixing bowl, with a fork, and stir in the salt, nutmeg, 1/3 cup of the Daiya, and half of the olive oil. You want a “ricotta” type of texture.
Peel, crush, and mince the garlic cloves, and evenly scatter them into the bottom of a heavy baking dish. Add about half of the remaining olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
Roll your basil leaves together, and slice them crosswise to form ribbons. Further chop and add a few of these (to taste) into your quartered tomatoes, with the remainder of the olive oil, and stir. Set aside. Reserve the remaining basil ribbons.
Stuff the shells with your tofu mixture, and arrange them evenly over the garlic. You may have a few extra shells left over. Sprinkle the stuffed shells with half of your remaining Daiya. Top with the tomato, olive oil and basil mix, and then again with the remaining Daiya. Top with the remaining basil.
Cover your dish with a tight fitting, oven-safe lid, (or aluminum foil) and bake in your pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Remember you’re heating just enough to melt the Daiya and re-heat the pasta shells. You’re not actually “cooking” this dish, so be careful not to overdo it.
Carefully spoon the individual shells onto a dinner plate, and…
Enjoy!
* Tofu contains SOY ingredients. Omit this ingredient if you are allergic to soy and use more Daiya.
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