Saturday, April 14, 2012

Gluten Free Pasta


Many friends and family in my life are living a gluten free lifestyle. It would be rude of me to ignore their desire for a big bowl of freshly made pasta while the rest of us sit stuffing our faces.


 Rolling by hand rather than on a pasta machine, cooking in simmering water rather than boiling- gluten free pasta requires a delicate touch and a light hand, but it really is worth it. It eats the same - absolutely wonderful tossed with simple butter, fresh herbs, black pepper and cheese.

It took me many rounds of trial and error, but with the help of the right flour, this pasta can pass for gluten eaters too.

I'll never forget the day I placed a pile of fresh, gluten free ravioli in front of my friend Amy. At the first bite she was transported to more comforting time when white flour was not the enemy. She ultimately came back to the present to tell the tale that this was her first ravioli she's had in over 15 years. I swear there was a tear in her eye at the time.
Invite your gluten free friends back to your Fat and Happy pasta parties; you will have a friend for life.


Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: I've tried a lot of gluten free pasta variations and the key to this pasta is most certainly the flour; you can find it Whole Foods or online.


Gluten Free Pasta

2.5 cups Pantry French Bread flour
5 eggs
1 yolk
1 Tbls salt

 Place the flour onto counter, make a well in the middle of flour. Place the eggs, yolk and salt into the well and begin to mix with a fork. Once the eggs are all mixed together, work the dough using your hands. Lightly knead the dough until it becomes silky and smooth.

Set the dough under a warm towel for 20 minutes. Roll the dough out to desired thickness, keep in mind this dough won't hold up well if rolled too thin. Go for more of a fettuccine rather than an angel hair pasta. Hand cut the dough with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. Or shape into ravioli if desired.

To cook, place in a large pot of salted simmering water. The pasta will take a few minutes, slightly longer than it's floured counterpart. Taste a piece to help decide when it's ready. Overcooking will turn the pasta mushy.

Toss with a little butter, pepper and fresh herbs or use as desired.


2 comments:

  1. I'm craving for pasta now. I will have to try this especially since it's gluten free.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Now, those with a gluten allergy or intolerance can experience the joy of eating an exceptional bowl of pasta. Thanks for this recipe.

    ReplyDelete