Traditional Pastrovici Tofu — a plant-based Mediterranean recipe by BOSH!
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Traditional Pastrovici Tofu

This one genuinely surprised us. Pastrovici is a traditional Montenegrin coastal dish and we've been obsessed with this plant-based version ever since we first made it. You get these gorgeous chunks of tofu cooked down with olives, potatoes, onions and garlic in a rich, herby sauce that tastes like it's been bubbling away for hours. The textures are incredible, tender potato, meaty tofu, briny little pops of olive. Make this on a Friday night when you want something that feels proper and special without ordering a takeaway.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large pan with lid
  • Mixing bowl
  • Tofu press (or clean kitchen towel & weights)

Ingredients

  • 280g firm tofu
  • 2 onions
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 300g new potatoes
  • 100g good-quality green olives
  • 1 small bunch of fresh parsley
  • 800ml vegetable stock
  • a few sprigs of rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lemon
  • olive oil
  • salt and white pepper to taste
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 200g cherry tomatoes
  • 1 bunch of rocket
  • 1 lemon
  • good-quality olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

1

Drain and press the tofu

  • Take your firm tofu - drain and then press it.
    Prepare the ingredients
  • Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.
  • Halve the potatoes and olives.
  • Roughly tear the tofu into bite-sized chunks.
  • Roughly chop the parsley.
2

Cook the onions

  • Place a large pan over a medium heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil.
  • Once warm, add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt.
  • Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft. 
  • Once soft, add the garlic and tofu and cook for a minute before adding the stock, potatoes, rosemary, bay leaves, olives and a good pinch of white pepper.
  • Bring to a light simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, remove the lid and cook for a final 5 minutes, or until the potatoes and tofu are soft.
3

Finish the stew

  • At the end of the stewing, mix through the chopped parsley with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil to taste.
4

While the stew cooks, prepare the salad

  • Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds using a teaspoon.
  • Chop the cucumber and tomatoes into small chunks.
  • Place into a mixing bowl and add the rocket, a squeeze of lemon juice, a good drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Mix well before spooning into a serving bowl
5

Time to serve

  • Serve the stew with an extra sprinkle of herbs on the top and with the salad on the side.

Tips & Variations

  • Press the tofu properly: We know it feels like an extra faff but pressing the tofu for at least 20 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) makes a huge difference to the texture. The drier it is, the better it browns.
  • Olive swap: If you're not a massive olive fan, capers work really well here and give you that same salty, briny punch without the olive flavour. Henry swears by it.
  • Make it your own: Ian sometimes throws in a handful of cherry tomatoes halfway through cooking and they kind of collapse into the sauce and make it even richer. Highly recommend.

Why This Works

The trick is pressing the tofu really well before you tear it, because you want those rough edges to catch in the pan and go golden. What really makes this sing is cooking the onions low and slow until they're sweet and soft before anything else goes in. Trust us on this one, don't rush that step.