• Preheat oven to 400”F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Drain the tofu block and transfer it to a shallow bowl. Using a potato masher or your hand, break the block into bite size pieces, you want to have some larger and smaller bits. ( DO NOT PRESS the tofu).
  14 oz block extra firm tofu
• Drizzle the tofu with the olive oil, shoyu, onion, paprika and nutritional yeast. Toss to coat well then transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
  2 Tbsp Shoyu or Tamari, 1.5 Tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp granulated onion, 1.5 tsp smoked paprika, 1.5 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tsp maple syrup
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown giving it a toss half way. Remove from the oven and set aside while your sauce is cooking.

  (NOTE: keep an eye on the tofu as timing will depend on the size of the pieces, you want nicely golden tofu bits but not extra crispy, the longer you cook it the crispier and chewier will get. If you prefer a more tender texture cut back the baking time by 5 minutes).

The Sauce

• Preheat a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add a light drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and chili flakes until softened and the veggies start to get a little color.
  1 small onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 small carrot, 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• Push aromatics to the side and drizzle a bit of olive oil in the center. Add the garlic (and fennel seeds if using) and sauté until fragrant, about 40 seconds or so.
  3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fennel seeds
• Add the tomato paste and give everything a good stir. Pour in the red wine, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half.
  1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 cup red wine
• Meanwhile transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and using your hand crush them into a thick puree saving a few larger chunks for texture. Add them to the pot with the aromatics along with the bay and rosemary.
  28 oz can san Marzano tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig rosemary
• Bring to a simmer and partially cover with a lid. Cook on medium low heat for about 30 minutes until thickened and the flavors have concentrated. Season to taste with sea salt and discard the bay and rosemary.
  1 tsp sea salt
• Add the tofu meat into the sauce and stir well to combine (reserve some crispy bits for garnish if desired). Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Meanwhile boil the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and toss with the bolognese sauce until lusciously coated all over. Serve with some fresh basil leaves, any reserved tofu meat and some grated vegan parmesan.
  3/4 lb spaghetti