Pumpkin, Swiss and Crispy Tofu Pasta Bake

Method

1. 1PrepHeat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Oil a 9x13 glass dish. Put a pot of salted water on to boil.
2. 2Crisp the tofuHeat the oil in the cast iron over medium-high. Add the tofu in an even layer and leave it 4 minutes. Stir and cook until golden in spots, 6 to 8 minutes more. Add the paprika and salt, toss, and move to a bowl.
3. 3Soften the aromaticsDrop to medium. Add the oil and shallot and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then scrape into the Vitamix before the garlic browns.
4. 4Wilt the spinachAdd the spinach to the same skillet and cook until fully collapsed and the pan is dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Add to the tofu bowl. Don't blend it into the sauce or the color turns murky.
5. 5Blend the sauceAdd the pumpkin, 360 g milk, cottage cheese, Parmesan, thyme, nutmeg, onion powder if using, salt and pepper to the Vitamix. Blend 45 seconds until smooth. It should taste slightly over-salted on its own.
6. 6Cook the pastaBoil the pasta 6 minutes exactly, stirring within the first minute. Drain and rinse cool.
7. 7CombineIn the empty pasta pot, combine the pasta, sauce, tofu, spinach and beans. Add the extra milk until the sauce loosely pools around the pasta. Chickpea pasta soaks up a lot while baking.
8. 8TopSpread into the dish. Scatter the tomatoes cut-side up, then tear the Swiss over the gaps so most tomatoes peek through, then the Parmesan.
9. 9BakeBake on the upper-middle rack 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and browned in spots. Do not broil a glass dish. Rest 10 minutes before serving.