Pasta with Beanballs

This recipe from Veganomicon is very tasty and easy to put together. I had some cooked kidney beans that I froze sometime back and it took minutes to make these (Opening a can of beans would have taken the same time).

Ingredients:

Cooked Red kidney beans – 3 cups

Vital wheat Gluten – ¼ cup
Plain Breadcrumbs – ½ cup

Soy Sauce – 2tbsp
Tomato Paste – 2 tbsp (I used 1 tbsp crushed tomato instead)

Olive Oil – 2 tbsp plus more for frying
Garlic – 1 tbsp, minced

Lemon jest – 1 tsp
Dried thyme – ¼ tsp

Dried Oregano – ¼ tsp
Marinara Sauce - 4 cups (either home made or store-bought)
Pasta - 8 oz.

Method:

• Mash the beans until there are no whole beans anymore. The texture should not be too smooth.
• Add all the other ingredients and mix with a fork to combine. Then using hands, knead the mixture for 1 minute until everything is completely mixed and firm. Roll into walnut size balls.
• Preheat a large sauté pan on medium. Add ¼“of olive oil and slowly drop in the beanballs. Cook for about 15 minutes, tossing often, until browned on all sides. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
• Remove all but 2 tbsp oil in the pan. Slide the beanballs back into the pan and slowly add 1/3 cup marinara sauce; toss to coat. Cook for about 15 minutes.
• In the meantime cook pasta (I used small shell pasta) according to package directions. Drain and transfer back to the pot. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over pasta and mix.

To serve, place some pasta in a bowl, and top with 4-5 beanballs and their sauce. Slurp.. yummy..