GLUTEN PROBLEM?? It’s Gluten free week!

Gluten Free Pizza Dough

 

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/3 cup chickpea flour

1/3 cup sorghum flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

2 tsp sugar

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

pasta sauce of your choosing

cheese of your choosing

toppings of your choosing

With an electric mixer and bowl, whisk the flours, xanthan gum, and salt.

In a small saucepan, stir the milk with 1/4 cup water over medium heat until just warm, about 1 minute.  Stir in the yeast and the sugar.

To the dry ingredients, add the milk mixture, egg whites, and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat with a paddle attachment on medium speed, scraping down the sides occasionally, until you have very smooth and thick batter like dough.

Remove the racks from the oven set a pizza stone or heavy upturned baking sheet on the lowest rack possible, and preheat for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

Cut two 12 inch squares of parchment paper. Scrape half the dough into the center of each square and coat each dough with 2 teaspoons oil.  Oil fingertips and use them to pat and spread each piece into about a 9″ round, about 1/4″ thick, leaving a 1/2″ border at the same time..  Loosely cover each with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place until they reach 10″ diameter.

Carefully transfer crust with its parchment to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the top is puffed and firm and the underside is crisp, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Carefully remove and transfer to a cooling rack.  Repeat for second crust in the same manner.

Place an oven rack 4 inches from the broiler.  Preheat the broiler.  Transfer the baked crusts to 2 baking sheets.  Brush 1 teaspoon oil over each crust.  Spread with sauce, leaving 1/2″ border, then sprinkle with desired cheese and toppings of your choice.

Broil the pizzas, rotating as needed to ensure even browning, or until cheese is bubbly and browned in places and crust is golden.  Slice and serve immediately.

Pea Pasta

Sea salt

1 (16 oz) package gluten free pasta of choice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

2 (10 oz bags) or 4 cups frozen peas

1 cup gluten free chicken stock

Zest of 1 lemon

Pepper to taste

2 oz or 1/3 cup ricotta salata or feta crumbles

Handful of chopped mint leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta as directed, drain, and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water

Heat oil in large saute skillet and add the garlic.  Cook until translucent.  Add peas and cook stirring often for about 4 minutes.  Reserve 3/4 cup peas, now raise the heat on the remaining peas to med-high.  Add chicken stock and simmer 3 minutes.

Transfer the pan contents to a food processor or blender.  Add the lemon zest, salt and pepper and blend until smooth, adding a little of the pasta water is the sauce is too thick.

Toss the pasta with the reserved peas and the pea sauce.  Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with crumbled sheese and mint, serve either warm or at room temperature.

Chilled Watercress and Pea  Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove minced garlic

1 diced sweet onion

1 medium peeled and diced potato

1 leek slice the white part only

Salt/pepper to taste

6 cups gluten free chicken stock

6 loosely packed cups watercress, washed and chopped

2 cups fresh or frozen petite green peas

Juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan with a lid over medium heat.  Add the garlic, onion, potato and leek and stir to coat.  Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low, cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in the watercress and peas and cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.

 

Working in small batches, blend the soup in a blender until very smooth.  Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Fill glasses with ice, add the soup and add garnish if desired.

Serve with a really nice salad!!

Veggie & Rice Noodle Lettuce Cups w/Tahini Lime Dressing

Butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Cooked and cooled rice noodles

Carrots

Bell pepper

Cucumber

 

Fill small butter lettuce leaves with a bit of cooked rice noodle, carrot ribbons, bell pepper and cucumber matchsticks(all made using a veggie peeler)  You can make these even more awesome by adding fillings like tuna and mayo or chicken, avocado and mustard.

Tahini Lime Dressing

In a small mixing bowl, mix 1/8 cup each of tahini and hot water; 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil; 1/4 teaspoon each of gluten-free Sriracha and gluten-free tamari; the zest and juice of 1/4 lime; 1/2 teaspoon honey; pinch of salt.  You can add more water if you feel it’s too thick.  Drizzle dressing over the lettuce cups and garnish with black sesame seeds if desired.