This was basically a fortuitous accident. I (Damon) made my mom's shepherd's pie one night, with an onion gravy. The next day we had a little left over, so on a whim we had it with pasta, and ended up turning it into a sort of stroganoff with some leftover sour cream substitute. The next day I thought I'd try to create something similar, but by the time I was done it had turned into this! I've often missed macaroni and cheese, which was something of a staple during my childhood; I've tried several substitutes and never quite been satisfied. Funny I should stumble upon the answer thus.
Rinse the lentils well and bring them to a boil in a pot of water. Boil until lentils are well broken up and mushy in consistency. Drain, but reserve the water.
Meanwhile, sauté the garlic and onions in the oil until tender. Add the nutritional yeast and sauté about one minute longer.
Add the tomatoes (with juice), the lentils, and the bouillon cubes. Add veggie back bacon and hot pepper flakes if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until well mixed.
While this is cooking, Cook the pasta according to package directions. When done, drain and mix in the margarine if desired; otherwise run under cold water to avoid sticking. Set aside.
Mix the flour into a bit of the lentil water and add to the sauce. Continue to simmer until thickened. You may need to add more water (from the lentils) or pastry flour to adjust the thickness.
Mix the sauce and pasta well.
Optional step: place mixed pasta in an oiled casserole dish. Top with crumbled saltines, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Serves six to eight.