Ingredients Pasta + Noodles Pasta with Spicy Tofu and Pistachios Be the first to rate & review! St. Louis chef Gerard Craft tosses spicy marinated tofu into his pasta with tomato sauce to make a hearty and flavorful vegetarian meal. He tops the dish with chopped pistachios, adding a tasty and unexpected crunch. Slideshow: More Pasta Recipes By Gerard Craft Gerard Craft Why he won Because, in a historic St. Louis neighborhood, he prepares a deceptively simple, drop-dead-delicious pork-oriented menu. Born Burlington, VT; 1979. Experience Bistro Toujours, Park City, UT; Ryland Inn, Whitehouse, NJ; Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles. How he got into cooking “I dropped out of college in Salt Lake City and was washing cars. That wasn’t fun, so I started washing dishes at Fats Grill & Pool, and they let me cook.” Early food experiences “My family is full of food lovers—my brother has wanted to eat at every Michelin three-star restaurant since he was 14. On my 13th birthday I had my first mussels in Normandy, France, right after chocolate crêpes. But I hated food until I went to boarding school in Idaho and saw how bad it could be.” Favorite thing about St. Louis “It’s more food-oriented than anyone thinks. There are a million food blogs, and even a food magazine, Sauce.” Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 1, 2015 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Christina Holmes Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients 1 pound firm tofu—drained, patted dry and cut into 3/4-inch dice 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Calabrian chiles or cayenne 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped thyme Kosher salt 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup finely chopped onion 3/4 cup dry white wine One 28-ounce can tomato puree 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil 1/4 cup canola oil 1 pound strozzapreti pasta Chopped pistachios, grated pecorino and dried oregano, for serving Directions In a medium bowl, toss the tofu with half of the garlic, the chiles, thyme and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover and refrigerate the tofu for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, the remaining garlic and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and basil and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until thickened slightly, 20 to 25 minutes; keep the sauce warm. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the tofu and cook over moderate heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned all over, about 3 minutes longer; keep warm. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the strozzapreti until al dente. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until coated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the tofu and season with salt. Transfer to a platter and garnish with chopped pistachios, grated pecorino and dried oregano. Serve right away. Make Ahead The marinated tofu and cooked tomato sauce can be refrigerated separately overnight. Suggested Pairing Pair this pasta dish with a spicy, berried Southern Italian red. Rate it Print