How to be Gluten Free and Have Your Pasta Too
Wouldn’t it be great if you could make homemade pasta with your pasta maker that was gluten free? One of the very first things I hear those diagnosed with celiac disease lament is the inability to enjoy so many of their favorite foods. If you’ve been diagnosed with celiac, then you understand. Our culture, as diverse as it is, relies heavily on wheat for many of the foods we consume on a daily basis. It’s difficult to even count the number of products that contain wheat in one form or another. One of the most popular of these foods is pasta. But don’t despair; there is hope in sight.
In recent years, as celiac disease became more widely diagnosed, an entire industry sprouted up around alternatives to foods traditionally produced with wheat. Take a moment to look around the next time you walk the isles of your grocery store. Notice the growing number of foods advertised as “gluten free.” From gluten free bread to beer, creative businesses and individuals continue to develop and discover new recipes and methods of producing traditional foods gluten free.
For millions of households across the country and around the world pasta is a staple. Unfortunately for those with celiac disease, pasta is also based largely on wheat. Much the same as other food manufacturers, traditional pasta makers continue to develop alternatives for their customers who must conform to a gluten free diet. By getting creative with ingredients such as cornstarch, corn flour, rice flour, and even potato flour, pasta makers deliver a full range of gluten free products. Try performing a search for “gluten free pasta” with your favorite search engine. You will find many of your favorite pastas available for purchase. Often times a variety of options will be available for one specific type of pasta. One such example is lasagna noodles. Different pasta makers use different ingredients and proportions in an attempt to closely match the gluten free version of their product to that of their traditional wheat pastas. Just be sure to read the reviews posted by others as to the texture and taste of the pastas. This helps you to avoid products that might be considered gummy or chewy.
So what do you do if you enjoy the flavor and texture of homemade pasta? There’s nothing quite like using your own pasta maker to prepare fresh noodles right before dinner. Look no further. As with store bought gluten free pasta, now you can find a number of recipes online for fresh gluten free pasta. The following recipe is for basic linguine. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
– 2/3 cup (2.5oz) corn flour
– 1/2 cup (2.5oz) quinoa flour
– 1/2 cup (2.125oz) potato starch
– 2 tsp xanthan gum
– 1 tsp guar gum
– 1 tsp fine sea salt
– 2 large eggs
– 4 egg yolks from large eggs
Directions:
Sift the corn and quinoa flours together with the potato starch in a large bowl. Next add the xanthan gum, guar gum, and salt. Mix all of the ingredients with a fork to combine. Then pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Next add the eggs and egg yolks to the bowl. Run the stand mixer with a paddle mixer on medium speed for about three minutes. When the dough is ready it will be firm, but still pliable. Next run the dough through your pasta maker or flatten it out by hand. It is thin enough if the dough begins to break. You can cut the pasta into any shape you like.
Add the pasta to salted boiling water to cook. Cooking time for the pasta is about four to five minutes for fettuccine, three to four minutes for spaghetti, and five to six minutes for ravioli. You will want to taste the pasta once it rises to the surface of the water. Be careful not to overcook it, as gluten free pasta will turn into a big blob of mush if it is overcooked. So make sure to keep your eye on the pot!
Learn more about preparing your own gluten free pasta with your homemade pasta maker by visiting http://www.shoppastamaker.com/
For more information on delicious homemade pasta and pasta recipes visit http://www.shoppastamaker.com
Author Bio: Learn more about preparing your own gluten free pasta with your homemade pasta maker by visiting http://www.shoppastamaker.com/
Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: pasta maker, pasta machine