Hi all! "CACCIATORE" in Italian means "hunter". This cooking method usually involves chicken, but
for this plant-based version I use firm tofu. It works out as a great replacement for chicken, but you have to prep it first.
To do that, cut the tofu into slices that are just over half an inch (1.5 cm). Press the tofu to squeeze surplus water out.
I use some pieces of kitchen roll. You can also use a clean kitchen cloth.
Removing the water helps make the tofu firmer, and will make it absorb more flavour from the sauce.
Cut each slice into bite-size dice.
I use firm tofu for this recipe. Soft or silken tofu won't work :-)
Transfer the dices onto a baking tray.
and season them with a tablespoon of olive oil,
a tablespoon of soy sauce for a moderate umami taste,
and a pinch of salt.
Mix well to distribute the seasoning,
then arrange the tofu dice on the baking tray so that there's some space between each dice.
Bake for 15 - 20 mins at 350F or 180C, until golden and crisp on the outside.
While the tofu bakes, prepare the cacciatore sauce! Chop 1 red onion into small pieces.
You can do this in a food processor, but make sure not to chop the onion too finely.
Cacciatore is a rustic cooking style, so we want slightly chunky pieces of vegetables in it.
You can also use a white onion instead, if you prefer
Add 1 tablespoon of oil on a non-stick pan
And add the onion to the pan.
The flavour base of the cacciatore is made with onion, celery and carrot ("soffritto" in Italian).
Chop 1 stalk (80 grams) of celery, again
not too fine, just like the onion.
Add the chopped celery to the pan and stir.
Chop 1 big (100 grams) carrot.
To prevent the vegetables from burning, add a little water. You can also add oil, if you prefer.
To make the cacciatore flavourful and aromatic, I add a variety of herbs and spices.
First, I mash and chop 2 cloves of garlic
Best if it is mashed well so the garlic flavour blends into the sauce.
For herbs, I chop 1 sprig of rosemary and about 10 leaves of sage.
Then ½ fresh red chili pepper (adjust based on your spice tolerance) and
finally, I chop herbs and chili together.
The aroma in the kitchen is crazy right now!
Meanwhile the tofu finished baking.
It has a firm, meatier texture now.
A the tofu to the pan, and stir. This way the tofu will get very flavourful.
Add ⅓ cup (80 grams) of dry white wine or if you don't use wine, then add vegetable broth.
A pinch of salt.
And 2-3 tablespoons of pitted olives.
The flavour and aroma is really building now.
Now add 14.5 ounces (400 grams) of canned tomatoes. I use whole peeled tomatoes, but any other type is fine.
Mix the tomato well with the sauce, crushing the tomato pieces with your wooden spoon.
Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. This helps make the sauce meatier and richer.
Let simmer on medium to low heat for 15 minutes.
Some of the liquid from the sauce will evaporate. This makes the sauce even tastier. Taste and adjust for salt.
Finally, add 1 handful of chopped parsley
The tofu cacciatore is ready! And I bet you've never tasted tofu this way.
We love experimenting with tofu, and hope you like this recipe too.
To make a complete dinner, we serve this with sautéed spinach.
The spinach takes 5 mins. Start with 2 tablespoons of olive oil
And add 2 cloves of garlic and a sprinkle of chilli flakes
Add a generous portion of fresh spinach to the pan and fry for 3-4 mins with a pinch of salt.
When we have time we also make our fluffy flatbread on a pan.
We brush it with a mix of garlic, parsley, and oil.
When we don't have time, we just boil some rice with it.
Rice, spinach and tofu cacciatore are just a perfect healthy and tasty dinner.
Let us know if you liked this recipe and if you'd love more recipes like this one.
And thank you for watching!