Gluten-Free Handmade Pasta
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Serves 6

Gluten-free pasta needs extra xanthan gum in order to roll smoothly through a hand-crank pasta machine. The extra xanthan gum also gives this pasta a nice firm texture.

½ cup tapioca flour or sweet rice flour
½ cup cornstarch
⅓ cup potato starch or arrowroot
⅓ cup fine brown rice flour, more for rolling out
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons xanthan gum
4 eggs or 1 cup flax gel (Click here for flax gel recipe)
2 tablespoons oil of choice

1. Put the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend using the paddle.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly beat together the eggs (or flax gel) and oil.
3. While the mixer is on, slowly add eggs and oil mixture to dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Dough will be soft like play dough. If it’s not, add water, one tablespoon at a time.
4. Lightly dust your counter with cornstarch. Cut the dough into 8 pieces and cover 7 with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
5. Lightly dust a piece of dough with rice flour and flatten. Roll through the widest setting of the machine. Continue to roll it through, folding it in half each time and lightly dusting with rice flour if the dough is tacky. Do this until the dough begins to hold together and seems smooth. It may take 5 to 6 times. Then decrease the thickness one notch at a time and roll through until desired thickness is achieved. Cut into desired shapes or leave as sheets. Place pasta flat on a cookie sheet. If layering the pasta or cutting it into shapes, dust it with rice flour. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
6. To cook the pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a dash of salt. Drop pasta into boiling water and stir. Cook until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks in just a few minutes. When the pasta is done, drain and rinse it under hot water. Toss with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Use immediately or cool and refrigerate for later use.
   

TIP To make quick lasagna, layer sheets of pasta with gluten-free meat sauce and grated cheese or dairy-free cheese alternative. No need to cook lasagna noodles before assembling.

Recipe by Rebecca Reilly.

Each serving contains 220 calories, 8g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 141mg cholesterol, 633mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 5g protein.

This recipe was published in the August/September 2009 issue of Living Without magazine.

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