Delicious gluten free pasta does exist!

 

Growing up, homemade pasta was always a special treat saved for the weekends. 

I have fond memories standing around the kitchen table, watching my mum and aunty kneading the pasta dough, putting it through the pasta machine (which I always insisted in helping with!) and turning the delicate pasta sheets into little pillows of meat filled pasta… known as Ravioli. 

When I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease, I thought my pasta making days were over! But making gluten free pasta is not as hard as you think. 

However, it is time consuming and a little patience is needed along the way. So sticking to tradition, I like to make pasta on the weekend, when I am most relaxed and have a little extra time up my sleeve. Why don’t you give it a go yourselves with our recipe below? 

{Gluten Free Recipe} HOMEMADE GLUTEN FREE RICOTTA RAVIOLI 

FILLING 

500g ricotta 

150g parmesan cheese 

1 egg, lightly beaten 

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional) 

Salt/pepper to taste 

PASTA DOUGH 

220g gluten free plain flour 

2 large eggs (we use the 70g eggs) 

1. Combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Place in fridge until needed. 

2. For the pasta dough, place the sifted GF flour onto a clean workbench and make a well in the centre of the flour. 

3. Break the eggs into the well of the flour. Using a fork beat the eggs and slowly start adding the flour. Once the flour has been incorporated, knead the dough until it has a smooth surface. 

4. Let the dough rest on workbench for at least half hour, covered with a plastic bowl. 

5. After the dough has rested, cut into 2 equal parts. Place the dough you are not working with under the bowl so that it doesn’t dry out. 

6. With a floured rolling pin and workbench, roll out one piece of the dough into a thin rectangular shape. Put to the side and repeat process with second piece of pasta, ensuring it is the same size and shape as the first piece. 

7. Drop a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture at 6cm intervals along one side of each strip of dough. Brush around the filling with a little water then fold over the other side of dough to enclose filling. Use your fingers to press around the filling to seal and remove any air bubbles. 

8. Use a scalloped-edged pastry cutter to cut around the parcels to form semi-circles. Let stand on a floured surface to dry. 

9. Place the ravioli in a saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer ravioli to each plate.

10. Serve with pasta sauce of your choice.

 

Back to School lunches – are you stuck for ideas? Let us help you!

So the kids are back to school and you are already stuck on what to make for their lunches! A stressful reality for all the busy mums out there!

 

Of course it’s important to have a lunch box full of healthy options, but also make sure you add a few tasty treats to keep your kids interested and to insure they bring home an empty lunchbox!

Fresh fruit and vegies should always be part of a lunchbox and the best way to get your kids to gobble it down is if you make it fun to eat! Cut up seasonal fruit into little pieces or by using mini cookie cutters, press them into different shapes like stars or hearts and simply pop the fruit onto mini skewers (make sure you cut the points off the ends).

You can make their veggie eating fun too! Cut carrots out into thin strips length ways and then use alphabet or number cookie cutters to press out the shapes or serve celery soldiers with cream cheese spread.

For a tasty treat, make a mini version of our Ricotta Scrolls (make two logs out of the mixture to create smaller rounds) or our Ricotta Pancakes (pour batter into little rounds rather than a normal pancake size or make a super size pancake and cut out into your preferred shape).

Or why not try our mini gluten free quiches, which are always a hit with the kids!

 

{Gluten Free Recipe} MINI GLUTEN FREE QUICHES

MIXTURE

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

salt/pepper to taste

FILLING VARIATIONS

Choose your favourite fillings below:

Cheese
Ham/Bacon 

Mushrooms

Tomato

Smoked salmon

Mixed herbs

1. Preheat oven to 220˚c and spray mini muffin tins with oil.

2. Place all mixture ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until all combined.

3. Pour mixture into prepared tins, 3/4 of the way and then add a teaspoon of your preferred fillings.

4. Bake in the oven for approx. 20 minutes.

Makes 48 mini quiches. Suitable to freeze.

Note: Pour mixture into a large pouring jug, as this will make it easier to pour into the prepared tins without making too much mess!