Italian cuisine is renowned for its freshly-baked bread, rich and gooey pizzas and of course, it’s delicious fresh pasta. More often than not, recipes for these dishes call for refined wheat. Therefore, people on a gluten-free diet may find Italian food somewhat tricky to navigate. Italy offers such an abundance of unforgettable meals, that it feels almost sacrilegious to limit anyone’s options!
We believe everyone should be able to enjoy classic Italian cooking, regardless of their dietary needs. But what about those looking to make authentic fresh pasta at home? In this article, we’ll be sharing a simple recipe for homemade gluten-free pasta. We will also answer some common questions on how best to make and enjoy gluten-free fresh pasta.
Serves: 3-4 Preparing Time: 30-45 mins Cooking Time: 2 mins Calories: 258 calories per serving
Ingredients
200g gluten-free flour (rice flour and cornflour are both dependable and readily available)
100ml water or 2 large eggs (use water for pasta bianca or white pasta)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
To make gluten free pasta dough, follow the steps below or watch our lovely sfoglina Roberta in our video guide:
Make a mound with your flour. Slowly mix in the water or eggs with the extra virgin olive oil with a fork. Keep mixing until you have a rough dough.
Roll your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 minutes, until smooth.
Once this is done, rest your dough for 15-30 minutes before cutting your shapes. Not sure about which fresh pasta shape to go for? We’ve put together a series of helpful guides, so you can hand-craft some of your favourite pasta shapes:
How to make fresh pappardelle
How to make fresh orecchiette
How to make fresh tagliatelle
How to make fresh ravioli
Frequently asked questions:
1. What is gluten-free pasta made out of?
Wheat flour - which contains gluten - was often considered a necessary ingredient in pasta. Increased demand for gluten-free pasta has resulted in an array of quality alternatives. These range from brown rice pasta, to pasta made from chickpeas and quinoa. Most gluten-free fresh pasta recipes call for xanthan gum. In our article What Flour Should I Use for Making Pasta? we briefly touch upon how gluten gives fresh pasta dough its elasticity. Without a gluten substitute, your pasta dough could become crumbly or crack as you knead it. Xanthan gum ensures that your dough is flexible enough to be made into the shape of your choice.
Gluten-free pasta comes in many different varieties, so it’s hard to describe it as having a specific flavour. That being said, a common complaint about gluten-free pasta is that it can taste ever-so-slightly bland.
Fortunately, there is a simple tip to giving gluten-free pasta a slight oomph - add plenty of salt! Looking for a more specific amount? We’d say about 1.5 tbsp for every 500g of fresh pasta. Not all of this salt will be absorbed by your pasta, but it will ensure there’s plenty of flavour.
Also, don’t forget that you’re going to be serving your pasta with a delectable sauce. Why not get inspired by taking a look at some of our sauce recipes. Perhaps you'd like to try a silky and glossy butter sauce or one of our authentic Italian sausage sauces? Once you have your first mouthful, your concerns about flavour will be put to rest!
3. Is gluten-free pasta healthier for you?
It’s fantastic that people who are sensitive to gluten can enjoy a varied diet of delicious foods! That being said, some view the gluten-free diet as somewhat of a fad. Indeed, many healthy options are also low in gluten, from fruit and vegetables to lean meats and low-fat dairy.
However, we’re often asked if gluten-free pasta is more nutritious or contains fewer calories. The answer to this question is no. Gluten-free pasta can often be lower in fibre and have a higher fat content. So is gluten-free pasta healthier for you? Yes - but only if you are actually sensitive to gluten.
4. The best way to cook gluten-free pasta
Gluten-free fresh pasta can be cooked in 3-4 minutes or less (if you want your pasta to be al dente). In search of true pasta perfection? We advise you to take a look at our expert guide to cooking fresh pasta.
Our chefs do have one cooking tip: gluten-free pasta is starchier than regular pasta. This means it can create an excess of foam once it's added to boiling water. We suggest you use a big pot, filled to about ⅔ of the way. This will ensure there’s no overflow, which can be quite the hassle to clean up!
5. Can you freeze and reheat gluten-free pasta?
Unfortunately, it’s not advisable to store gluten-free pasta to be enjoyed at a later date. Many gluten-free pasta shapes are made using either corn or rice, which tend to break down quicker than pasta made with wheat. Because of this, cooking it a second time could lead to some unpleasantly mushy pasta. We suggest you cook as much gluten-free pasta as you can enjoy in a single meal - enjoy being the operative word if you follow our recipe…
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Cook pasta in an extra-large saucepan, for best results use 1lt of salted water per 100g pasta. Allow the pasta to boil uncovered while it cooks. There is no need to add oil to the cooking water. Boil for 5 minutes then carefully taste the pasta every minute until it is 'al dente'
Coming in all the classic pasta shapes and sizes you love, gluten-free pasta noodles are those that have been made without wheat or any other gluten-containing ingredients by replacing them with corn, rice, and even potato flour.
Italians make fresh pasta using a particular type of lower-protein white flour called doppio zero, or 00 flour, with a talcum powder–like grind. Its protein content is similar to that of all-purpose flour, but the proprietary blend of wheat makes a difference.
Gluten-free pasta is interchangeable in all recipes. The biggest difference you will find when replacing wheat pasta for gluten-free pasta is a difference in texture. Cooking times also vary with gluten-free pasta in particular, so it is important not to overcook.
Some gluten-free pastas are low-carb and can be eaten by people on keto or low carb diets. However, pastas made with gluten-free grains such as corn or rice simply replace wheat and are not low in carbohydrates.
The production of high-quality and reliably gluten-free food is fully automated and relies on the most modern technology. Rice and corn, the primary ingredients mainly used instead of wheat in gluten-free food, are also more expensive than wheat.
The amino acids offered by many kinds of pasta without gluten are perfect for keeping your muscles, skin, and bones healthy. When the pasta you eat is composed of whole grains, it will often have higher levels of fiber, minerals, and folic acid than other options.
But if you're looking for a gluten-free pasta that's as close to the "real thing" as you can get, the Itlaian-made Le Venezian Fettucce will not disappoint. It's made from just one major ingredient, 100 percent Italian corn, and the taste and texture are right on par with pasta made from semolina flour.
Is Orzo Gluten-Free? Orzo is not a gluten-free food. Orzo is made from wheat semolina flour, which contains gluten. Because orzo is made intentionally to resemble rice (which is gluten-free), people will sometimes mistake it for Italian arborio rice, particularly if it's been cooked al dente (firm to the bite).
Brown Rice Flour. Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor. ...
00 flour is a soft wheat flour that's perfect for baking, especially cakes and crumbly pastries. You can also use soft wheat flour for pasta, due to its texture and powdery consistency. Not only is it ideal for softer pasta shapes like tagliatelle, it is also the best flour for ravioli pasta.
In cake recipes it can be replaced with plain flour; in bread, pizza and pasta recipes it can be replaced with strong white bread flour. It is often lower in protein than British flours and so produces a much crisper crust in bread, and a finer texture in cakes.
Semola and semolina flour are mainly used for making pasta, couscous, and some rustic cakes. Semolina has a coarse texture similar to polenta, while semola is flour. You might use semolina to make a breakfast porridge or sweet pudding, or under your pizza dough to keep it from sticking.
Because of the starch, gluten-free pasta noodles tend to cling together. Add a glug of olive oil to the water and make sure to run a spoon through it to redistribute every 30 seconds during the first few minutes of cooking. Once the pasta has begun to plump you don't have to worry about it as much.
Starch, as we all know, can get sticky if it absorbs too much water — and now we see why cooking gluten-free pasta in a large pot of boiling water might present some problems! This is why adding a little olive oil to the pot after the water boils but before you add the pasta will help.
Gluten-free pasta has a tendency to get gummy, mushy, or stick together if it's cooked for too long or too short. It's more finicky than regular pasta that way.
Use the reserved pasta water to add extra moisture to the pasta as needed. Keep in mind, gluten-free pasta does not sit as well as regular pasta, so try to serve immediately or at the least, keep that reserved pasta water on hand in case.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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