Glorious Gluten Free Pasta

I LOVE Masterchef and watch it in the kitchen as I cook. I know, how much cooking can you get in your life? My answer, not enough. I would actually credit cooking shows for teaching me how to cook. This recipe {for example} is based on the recipe demonstrated by Lidia Bastianich “Joe’s Mom” on Hell’s Kitchen. It works beautifully with gluten free flour. If you are looking for the episode, it is season 4, episode 9.

You definitely want to weigh your flour versus using a cup measurement. It is far more accurate for pasta making. I use a little more egg yolk than a wheat recipe calls for to give the pasta some structure since there is no gluten. I also mix mine in the stand mixer which you would never do with wheat pasta. You really can’t overwork this dough because there is no gluten. The gluten gives normal pasta dough it’s strength. We have to manufacture that in this dough.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lbs King Arthur Flour
4 whole eggs
6 yolks
1 teaspoon of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pour the flour out on the counter
Sprinkle with salt
Make a well in the center
Combine the eggs and yolks, lightly beating
Add the beaten eggs a little at a time
Hand mix dragging flour from the outside towards the middle.

Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Knead for about 10 minutes. The dough should come together to form a ball as you knead. It should have the consistency of playdough. After you have kneaded it, you can add a little water if the dough is too dry. Pasta is susceptible to humidity…in the summer you may not have to add water at all.

Cover and let rest for 20 mins

Divide the ball into 4 sections
Roll thin with a pasta maker (or rolling pin if you are adventurous) flouring liberally to prevent sticking. The pasta attachment for my mixer is a game changer!

Your rolled pasta sheets should drape like fabric and be less than 1/8 inch thick
If doing my hand, cut strips with a pizza wheel or get one of these fancy pasta cutters.

Let it dry a bit. Then drop in boiling hot water for about 2 and half minutes. {PS. I love my Pampered Chef flexi mats for getting the pasta off the counter}
When finishing in a sauce, leave the pasta a bit al dente so that it cooks the rest of the way in the sauce.

The pasta pictures here are for pappardelle which is a wider pasta. I can’t wait to get my fancy cutter in for perfectly even strips. This dough can be used for any type of ribbon or filled dishes. The sauce here is pancetta and pea.

Mangia Mangia!