First, make the seitan cutlets. Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until the chickpeas are mostly broken down. (A little texture is just fine here; it doesn’t have to be hummus-smooth.) Add in the vegetable broth, olive oil, tamari, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper and mix thoroughly. Stir in the wheat gluten until the mixture begins to pull together, then use your hands to gently knead the dough right in the bowl. Once it holds together, transfer to a clean work surface and knead for about 3 minutes.
Divide the dough into fourths and press each piece of dough into an oval patty roughly 4 to 5 inches wide. Place a patty on a square of aluminum foil and wrap snugly. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Transfer the foil-wrapped cutlets to a steamer basket set over boiling water. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow the cutlets to steam for 40 minutes. When finished, remove from the steamer, allow to cool briefly, then remove the foil. Slice two cutlets in half horizontally, making four thin cutlets. Refrigerate or freeze the other cutlets for another use.
Now, we'll bread and pan-fry the seitan. In a wide, shallow bowl or plate, stir together the flour, salt, and a generous grinding of pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Coat each cutlet in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then place carefully in the hot skillet skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer the browned cutlets to a plate. .
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the shallot, mushrooms, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender and beginning to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the marsala and cook until reduced by half. Add the vegetable broth and butter and cook until the butter is melted. The sauce will be a bit thin at this point.
Add the pan-fried cutlets to the skillet and spoon the sauce over. Allow to simmer for a couple minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley if desired.
