Vegan with a Vengeance

heat. Toss in the pine nuts and stir frequently for about 5 minutes, until they are lightly browned.
over low heat if you need to. If you want to make it thicker, add more nutritional yeast by the tablespoon. To thin it out, add pasta water by the tablespoon.
    Drain the pasta and transfer it to a plate, spoon the sauce over the top, add veggies and tofu if using, and serve.

ENTRÉES
    I can never answer the question “What is your favorite kind of food?” becaus,e well, “favorite” questions are sort of arbitrary and there are just too many answers to choose from. Yet people always seem to ask. My standard answer is “Brrooklyn food,” because it seems like there isn’t one culinary palate that dominates my beloved borough. So here you will find a diverse selection of dishes inspired by every corner of the world and I never had to leave Brooklyn for inspiration.

    Taming Your Tofu
    T ofu is a delicious protein that can be quite versatile once you get the hang of using it. If you’ve been unsuccessful using it in the past, try these tips and I guarantee you will be a tofu pro in no time (well, in about the hour it takes to press it).
    The most important thing to know when dealing with tofu is that for a nice firm texture you will need to press all the water out. This will allow any marinade you soak it in to penetrate as much as possible, and will help it to crisp up when frying.
    Start with a drained block of extra firm tofu and place it between a clean kitchen towel or 3 or 4 paper towels on each side. Place a heavy, level object (like a hardcover book) over the tofu. For good measure you can place another heavy object on top of the book. I often use a few cans of beans or sometimes a castiron pan. Let it sit like that for half an hour, then flip it over for another half an hour.
    If you don’t have a full hour to press the tofu, you can “quick press” it. Cut it into 4 even slices widthwise and press each slice very gently between your hands to get the water out. Then wrap each slice in paper towels and place under a heavy object as described above for as long as you can (at least 10 minutes).
    Freezing tofu creates a different, chewier texture. Freeze it in its packaging and let it thaw completely before pressing it. It’s very important that the tofu thaws completely or else it will have a spongy unappealing texture. Frozen tofu tastes great crumbled into chilis and stews.
    Don’t limit your tofu cuts to dices and thin rectangles. Below are some of my favorite ways to slice tofu. I find that different shapes and sizes can really up the visual aspects of any dish.

Marinated Tofu
    I eat some version of the following recipes for dinner a few times a week because they are so easy yet produce amazing results. It’s hard to remember that simple things can be extraordinary but these recipes prove just that. I’ve listed the marinade ingredients but the cooking methods are the same for both.
Italian Tofu
    SERVES 4 (OR 2, IF YOU’RE VERY HUNGRY)
    1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
    Â½ cup white cooking wine
    2 tablespoon olive oil
    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari
    2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    2 cloves garlic, smashed
    A big pinch each dried basil, marjoram, and thyme
Asian Tofu
    SERVES 4 (OR 2 IF YOU’RE REALLY HUNGRY)
    Â 
    This tofu goes great with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes (page 110) and asparagus.
    1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
    Â½ cup mirin
    3 tablespoons tamari
    2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon sesame oil
    2 teaspoons Asian chile sauce
    A 1-inch chunk ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
    2 cloves garlic, smashed
    Prepare the marinade:
    Combine all marinade ingredients in a wide shallow bowl.
    For grilled tofu:
    Cut the tofu widthwise into four equal pieces. Marinate for an hour, flipping over after 30 minutes.
    Grease a stovetop grill pan (preferably cast iron) with vegetable oil. Preheat over a high flame for about 3 minutes. Use tongs to distribute the tofu slabs evenly onto the grill. Gently use the tongs to press the tofu into the grill ridges, to get nice dark lines. Cook for 3 minutes on one side without lifting, then turn the slabs 90 degrees to create a crosshatched pattern on the bottom of the tofu. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook for another 2 minutes. Move to a cutting board and cut each piece diagonally across into two triangles