First, I must apologize for the lack of noodles in the above picture. I’m sure you can imagine the many uses for a plate full of fresh noodles that a 6 and 3 year old boy’s imagination could muster up (I’m still not sure how one ended up in the fishbowl). I am also sorry that this post is going out so late, I was without an internet connection today and the idea of taking the aforementioned 3 year old to Starbucks is definitely not my idea of a good time! 😀
Anyhoo…if you happen to be a friend on my Facebook page, then you are aware that I had some fun on Sunday experimenting with making homemade gluten-free pasta (which also happens to be dairy-free and egg-free). Oh, did I forget to mention that it also happens to be free from all the Top 8 Allergens?
Well, how about this little gem: the pasta is also corn-free and rice-free! Woo-Hoo, pasta for everyone!! 😀
Seriously, this kind of stuff gets me so glutadoodley that I can’t help but dance (NOTE: the following video is required viewing before you proceed any further…we need to set the mood) 😉 :
I have even more good news about this pasta dough, but for the sake of time and space, I will break it up into a few different posts.
My recent homemade pasta escapade began on Friday, when I made up a batch of GF pasta from the just released and highly anticipated cookbook, “Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef: A Love Story with 100 Tempting Recipes.” I will share more on that soon, but the reason I bring it up now is due to the fact that I shared a photo of the pasta I made on Facebook, which prompted a lot of questions about other food allergies (the main one being “Are there eggs in the recipe?”). I also have quite a few friends that always seem to get left out in the cold because they are either allergic to or cannot tolerate corn and/or rice (and the vast majority of gluten-free convenience foods (like dry pasta) contain either one or both of those ingredients). I can’t fully enjoy the personal accomplishment of making Shauna and Danny’s pasta recipe, if I know there are folks out there who will never be able to enjoy it with me…I’m a “share the love” kinda girl!
It just so turns out that one of my blogger buddies, Diane, from The W.H.O.L.E. Gang cannot eat rice either, so I was sure she would have a pasta recipe on her website, and I was right! Back in March, Diane did a “Great Gluten Free Pasta Challenge,” and she shared a recipe for GF pasta by Jacqueline Mallorca, author of the cookbook: Gluten-Free Italian: Over 150 Irresistible Recipes Without Wheat–from Crostini to Tiramisu.
The original recipe calls for brown rice flour and Diane mentioned that she simply swaps the rice flour for sorghum flour, easy enough! The next issue to tackle were the eggs. While I am not personally egg-free, I love these sorts of challenges. All I needed was to figure out what to replace the eggs with. I queried the almighty Google and came across a KitchenAid Conversations forum post that offered what appeared to be an easy enough solution (click on the previous link to visit the forum post, then read the second entry by “cutedoggie“). The suggestion was to replace the egg with 1/4 cup of liquid, so I went with water. The second replacement that needed to be made was for the 1 egg yolk so I decided to try using 1 Tbs. of Olive Oil for that. The other change I made was to cut out the original tablespoon of olive oil that is called for in the recipe because I didn’t want it to come out too oily.
With that in mind, the following is what I came up with:
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup brown rice flour Sorghum Flour (I used Superfine Sorghum Flour from Authentic Foods)
- 1/3 cup Tapioca Starch (I used Expandex Modified Tapioca Starch)
- 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum (or Guar Gum for corn-free)
- 1/2 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 cup Warm Water
- 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs. Water
Directions
- Combine sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and sea salt in a small bowl, whisk to combine, then sift the entire mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment).
- Turn the mixer speed to 'stir' (or the lowest setting), and slowly add the 1/4 cup of warm water and 1 Tbs. of olive oil.
- Gradually increase the speed of the mixer to medium and continue mixing for approximately 2 minutes, then stop the mixer and evaluate the dough (see Notes).
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then you are ready to make your favorite pasta shapes!
Notes
If the dough seems too too dry, go ahead and add the second 1 Tbs. of water (the dough is too dry if: the mixture doesn't come together in a ball (at all), but is more like a fine crumb OR if the dough does come together in a ball, but falls apart when you squeeze it). Remember, you can always ADD more water, but it is much more frustrating to deal with excess water! Slowly return the mixer back to medium speed and mix for another minute to see if this solves the problem. Pasta dough should be firm and not sticky. If your dough is sticky, add a little bit of tapioca starch at a time until you achieve the desired texture.
I found the following video on Sure Foods Living (btw, Alison’s website is a wealth of information, check it out!) of Jacqueline Mallorca showing how to make her pasta:
I didn’t realize I should have rolled the dough so thin, but I don’t think it mattered much because this was really good (even without the eggs)!
With my first batch, I went straight for the ravioli (more on that in my next post):
I made a second batch of the pasta dough again today, only this time I replaced the full egg with a ‘flax egg,’ and kept everything else the same. **Check out Nancy’s post on using flax eggs in a commercial cake mix over at The Sensitive Pantry (uh, Nancy? Typing the last word of your blog title can be a bit risky when one is prone to typos)! 😳
I ended up needing to add 4 Tbs. of water with the flax egg version because the dough was a tad bit on the dry side, but it worked great and added a little nutritional punch from the flaxseed!
Stay tuned for…(are you sitting?)…Toasted Ravioli and Pizza Rolls!
This giveaway marked a new milestone for me with 121 comments! I think the success of this giveaway should definitely send the message to companies that we need more CORN-FREE food options! **May I seize this quick opportunity to ask the makers of Earth Balance to make a corn-free version of their buttery spread in the near future, kind of like the soy-free version? Pretty please? 😀
Moving along…
I used the random number generator to pick the 3 winners of a FREE sample pack (containing one of each of the currently available flavors of Mini Pops popped Sorghum) and those winners are:
#101 Ivy
#110 Janet
#61 Meredith
Congratulations ladies!! I will email you shortly for your shipping information.
One last note, I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all for your well wishes regarding my iron issues. I saw the hematologist yesterday and essentially, we don’t know anything yet. I’m undergoing more testing over the next couple of weeks, so hopefully I will know something by the end of the month. 🙂
And welcome to my blog!
Whether you're here looking for advice on how to go gluten free (with delicious kid-approved recipes of course!), or to read some of the latest medical research on celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity...or even to read about one woman's rise from the depths of gluten-free despair to a place of downright enthusiasm, it makes no matter. The point is, you are here now so let's have some fun!
Heidi, you are truly a hoot! The dancing video made my night, as did your recipes. I am certainly going to put these to the test (my husband has been begging for some good ravioli!) and can not wait to share these with my family. 🙂 I hope you are well-xo
Sunny, so glad the video brought a smile to your face the way it did mine, I needed it too, LOL!
I will be tied up all day tomorrow, but I will get the ravioli and pizza rolls up by the end of the week. I can't verify taste, but the texture of the pasta, ravioli and the pizza rolls were great. Mike and the boys loved them (although it was funny, Sam, my 6 year old, was puzzled by the pizza rolls. He's never had the "real" pizza rolls (Totino's) before and all he could say was, "why don't you just make real pizza mom?" 😯 That really just proved to me even more that kids are conditioned not only by what we, as parents, choose to feed them from the beginning, but also by the ads targeted to kids on TV (I've become a DVD mom, just so I don't have to deal with them being subjected to foods they can't have regardless because of the gluten).
I'm doing okay, it the "not knowing" that kills me. 😉
xo,
Heidi
Once again, you amaze me Missy! I love this! I am trying out the pasta recipe from Shauna's cookbook this week (along with the bread recipe)!
You did an awesome job! Cannot wait to see what your creative mind comes up with next! 😉
xo
Kim
Kim,
It's called nervous energy. Cooking experiments are my "Calgon" moments, LOL!
Shauna's pasta is awesome (well, texture wise anyway). I plan on making the other items, including the brownies over the weekend, yum, yum!
Oh, I finally tried making my own spring rolls and I don't know what I was all worried about, they are easy! Sam loved them so much, he's asked for them in his lunch all week (and he actually ate them, WOO-HOO!!). I think those rice wrappers could hold up to all sorts of fillings… 😉
xo,
Heidi
You are insanely awesome with all of these things you keep trying. We're not allergic to rice but I can't believe you found a way to make pasta without it…
Beautifully done Heidi!! i can't wait to try your Pasta! A friend & I are going to make Shauna's pasta on Saturday night! i"m looking forward to trying it! 🙂
I'll make the pasta when I come up for air (whenever that may happen), as it looks absolutely amazing. BUT, for now, thank you for the video sweet, quirky girl. I loved it! I'm going to jump, shake my booty and get on with my day. I needed that. =)
Melissa
xo
I'll keep you posted on my attempt to make pasta. I'm into radicchio pizza right now.
Yay Heidi! That ravioli looks amazing! I saw Shirley and Diane's pasta posts and I was amazed. I've never gotten around to trying it but will for sure! Did I miss where you said how much it makes? Is it enough for Pete, the kids and little ol me? Thanks for thinking of your egg-free peeps. We're so lucky to have you. xo
My son just started Kdg. His teacher is hosting a spaghetti lunch. Finding a pasta recipe that could use his flours took some time, but I found yours. I think I earned the best mom award from a little boy who is part Italian and allergic to gluten, wheat, tomato, and garlic…all of the necessary ingredients. I tested a few just to see how it would cook up, and he ate it, said he wanted more, and didn't want to wait for the sauce.
Getting them into the water, I had a few break, but okay. no biggie. Why divide the dough into 4 equal parts? I had a small ball as I did one batch. I need to make more on a Sun. to prepare for his spaghetti lunch.
Have you tried this pasta in mac and cheese? I would have to use almond cheese as he has regular cheddar cheese as another allergy. Thank you for letting my son have pasta again.
Heidi, you are one fun date. whether in person or in a blog post about pasta, you just crack me up and your energy and enthusiasm are contagious. You are one brave woman to take on pasta with so many substitutions. And a smart one to pick your battles and choose pasta over Starbucks with a three-year-old. You've got me wanting ravioli now. (Oh, and Hugh Grant.)
Wendy
First, love the video! LOL! I actually did a gymnastics dance routine to that song when I was 12 – brought back many memories! He is so stinkin' cute to watch in that movie!
You make this look so darn easy, Heidi! I really need to give GF homemade pasta a try. 🙂 Kudos to you for watching out for all of those people who have to avoid many other allergens in addition to gluten. 🙂
You rock!
I'm glad to know about your site! I was just chatting with a few new mom friends last weekend who are looking for more gluten-free cooking sites they could visit. I'll pass yours along!
~Kendra
Thanks Kendra!!
Somehow I never came over to read this post (just commented on FB I think), but had to come back and comment and watch Hugh Grant again. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Love Actually. It's one of my absolute faves! It's such a feel good movie and that scene is just one example. Thank you for sharing that clip and setting the mood, Heidi! And, as far as the pasta, it's phenomenal that you conquered all the issues so beautifully. And, if I had appreciative, hungry kids, I'm sure that I would not have had so many noodles to photograph when I made pasta. 😉 But fish bowl? hmmm, guess they want the fish to be happy, too! Anyway, you are a blessing to so many with your willingness to accept ANY challenge! A glutadoodle like you just can't be held back!!!
xo,
Shirley
Shirley,
You're welcome! I have watched this video clip probably 40 times, just because it makes me smile (okay…I love me some Hugh Grant, he is so darned cute!!).
Yeah, the fish bowl! How? WHY???? 😯
Thanks for the kind words too, they mean a lot to me. 😉
xoxo,
Heidi
Wow! I am really impressed with this pasta. I'm glad that I decided to check it out after seeing it on Jenn's GF substitution roundup – I'm definitely book marking it for later!
P.S. I love that you put in that clip from Love Actually. So Awesome!
Hey Heidi – I want to make this!! How much does your recipe make and how far in advance can I make it? Thanks babe! Should I make the water and oil version or the flax version? I know being egg-free is hard for you but I'm happy to have you on my team now 🙂 xooxxo
Hi Maggie!!!
I'm excited to be full blown on your 'team' now (although I've always been in your corner). 😀
We liked both versions, so it really just depends if you want the 'speckled with added nutrition' version or the 'looks like regular pasta' version. I also want to try adding some veggie powder sometime, like tomato powder for red pasta or spinach powder for green pasta, just not sure how to go about that yet, any ideas?
Btw, since you are a pro at this egg-free thing now, do you happen to have an egg-free pumpkin pie recipe in your pocket? 😀
Please let me know how your pasta turns out!
xoxo,
Heidi
Thanks Heidi! I wish I had a recipe for you – try Kelly at Spunky Coconut. Hasn't Lexie whipped one up yet 🙂 You could also add spirulina to make green pasta! I would just add a little more liquid. It will be a science experiment! The boys will love it.
Two questions you didn't answer for me (glutadoodle moment)! 1. Can I make it in the morning and eat it at night?
2. How many does this recipe serve?
xoxoxoxo
Ha! Yes, the glutadoodle is always present *sigh.*
I just looked up the original recipe over at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang (http://www.thewholegang.org/2010/03/great-gluten-free-pasta-challenge/) and Diane said it serves 2. So depending on much pasta you like, I would probably double to triple the recipe (or more for a big crowd).
In the bottom video, Jacqueline Mallorca (the original recipe creator) said she makes several batches of pasta dough, rolls it out into sheets, then freezes it. When she is ready for pasta, she pulls out a sheet of dough to thaw, then cuts the pasta into the desired shapes. The pasta does not take long to cook, less than 5 minutes.
I have not tried freezing the modified recipe yet, but when I make it this week, I will throw some in the freezer to see how well it works and report back.
So, to better answer your question about making the pasta in the morning, I would say (guess is more like it) if you make up the dough in the morning, cover it with a *slightly* damp towel (to keep the dough from drying out) and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut it. I would not store the cooked pasta (especially without a sauce) because it will most likely clump together and not be very appetizing, LOL! 😀
Thank you sooooooooooo much! I've been seeing this ladies name all over the place! I'll watch the video – should've watched it in the first place 🙂 I think I might try it today…gulp! Will report back too.xo
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, Heidi! I made it this last weekend for a Christmas party and it was a hit. I rolled the dough out and let it sit in the fridge for half a day before filling the ravioli. It cut beautifully and performed really well while making the ravioli. I made 3 batches and have a sheet of pasta still in the freezer to use for later.
There were some cooked raviolis left over that I stored in a single layer in a container in the fridge. They reheated the next day in sauce and were still a great texture…no problems at all.
One of my friends who is a big "foodie" commented that he didn't think he could tell they were gluten-free if he didn't already know – and he ate one without sauce as the ultimate test. (He's never hesitated to tell me when something isn't really as good as the gluten version, so he wasn't just being nice.)
Thanks again…these were just awesome!!
WOO-HOO!!!
Thank you so much for the feedback Kathryn, I just love to here stories like this! 😀
Hugs,
Heidi
If I don't have the starch can I use a different flour? You think it will turn out the same? I thank you so much for your site! I am EXCITED(understatement) for finding you! These recipes rock!!! I am new at gluten free but am dairy/soy and egg free as well. Its challenging but you have made my bad day better :]
Hi Wendi!
That's a very good question and while I don't know the answer firsthand, I think it's a worthy experiment! Before you try a non-starch though, do you have any cornstarch, potato starch or arrowroot powder? If so, you could substitute one of those 1:1 in place of the tapioca starch.
Please let me know how your experiment turns out!
Heidi
I don't have any at the moment either! I will experiment! Thanks!
have you tried drying the pasta for using later?
Can this be dried to make for future use? I saw the freezing suggestion but my freezer is small so there just isn't much space to store pasta in there.
I just made ravioli from this pasta recipe and oh my! It turned out amazing, all I can think about now is lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza pockets….THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi, I am so happy to find your site my boyfriend just found out he is allergic to wheat, soy, nuts and honey. the nuts and honey is the easy part lol, I been killing him this whole time! eek.. okay here is my question.
Is brown rice flour separate from sorghum flour? Were you just giving two options?
2/3 cup brown rice flour Sorghum Flour (I used Superfine Sorghum Flour from Authentic Foods)
I should have known to check your site for ravioli! I miss ravioli so much. I found lots of gluten-free pasta recipes, but so few that don’t include eggs. (My 5-year-old is allergic to eggs as well as wheat. And dairy. And nuts. And….) Thank you for this, and I think I’ll try the flax version.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! My husband was diagnosed with Crohns about a year and a half ago and we have been in a constant uphill battle with food. For christmas last year he bought me a Kitchenaid mixer with all the bells and whistles and I finally put it to good use today. 2 out of the three family members that are currently visiting us have Gluten and Dairy allergies… all I have to say is EVERYONE (non allergy people included) LOVED this recipe!!! I highly doubt that we will ever buy boxed pasta again. SO good. 🙂
i guess i’m confused. i don’t see an egg in the recipe so where do you add the flax egg?
I am also confused about the egg part, and did i miss the part about how to cook it? thanks 🙂