As a vegetarian, I feel guilty from time to time for not really knowing what to do with tofu at home.
It was on sale at the grocery so I picked some up - and had to come up with an idea to actually eat it. I found this recipe for Tofu Parmesan Subs on the Food Network site and I liked it a lot!
Dare I say that maybe even a hard core carnivore might enjoy these? I think so!
TOFU PARMESAN SUBS
from Food Network Magazine
Total Time: 35 min. Prep14 min. Cook21 min. Yield:4 servings
Ingredients
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, smashed
8 fresh basil leaves, torn
(I used tomatoes with basil/Italian seasoning already in the can and skipped the basil)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use seasoned bread crumbs and skipped the Italian Seasoning below)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 large egg
1 12-ounce package firm tofu, drained and sliced into 8 pieces (make sure they are drained and dry!)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 loaf whole-wheat Italian bread, cut into 4 pieces and split in half
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound baby spinach (about 8 cups)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Toss the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and the Italian seasoning on a plate; season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Dip the tofu in the egg, then in the crumbs, turning to coat.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the bread cut-side up on a broiler pan; spread the bottom halves with sauce, then top with tofu, more sauce, the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in the empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and let wilt, about 1 minute. (I added some extra garlic here). Place on top of the cheese and cover with the bread tops.
Per serving: Calories 491; Fat 22 g (Saturated 5 g); Cholesterol 60 mg; Sodium 1,202 mg; Carbohydrate 50 g; Fiber 7 g; Protein 24 g
