Cooking Gluten-Free Pasta For One
I haven’t cooked any pasta since I moved here nearly two years ago. But after Saturday’s Times published a list of pasta dishes saying they were the only ones you’d ever need, I thought I had better. Getting the amount of pasta correct has always been a problem and today, I decided that I had better do it by volume. So i carefully weighed out the 100 grams I need for myself of Dove’s Farm gluten-free penne.
100 Grams of Dove’s Farm Gluten-Free Penne
I reckoned it would just fit into a standard John Lewis tumbler and the picture shows I was right. So the dial shows 98, but I won’t argue about 2 grams. As you can see, I find a letter balance much better for small quantities than a proper set of scales, especially if you can adjust them for the weight of the container.
I then put the pasta into boiling water with a bit of salt for 6-8 minutes.
If I have time, I do taste it, but generally a measured cooking time works.
The sauce I used tonight was pea, mushroom and ham. It required.
- 150 g of shelled peas (fresh or frozen) – I used one of those little packets.
- 30 g of butter
- 150 g white mushrooms, sliced
- 200 g ham, chopped
- 250 ml double cream
- 100 g grated parmesan
Firstly, whilst the peas were cooking, I sliced the mushrooms
150 g of Sliced Mushrooms
And chopped the ham.
200 g of Chopped Ham
after draining the peas, I melted the butter in a pan and then added the peas and the mushrooms, giving it a good stir.
After five minutes, I added the chopped ham and stirred it for a few minutes before I poured in the cream. I then added some salt and kept it warm.
Meanwhile, I started the pasta off and when it was cooked, I turned it into a serving dish. I added the grated parmesan and stirred it rapidly.
Finally I added the sauce and mixed it all well.
Gluten Free Pea, Mushroom and Ham Pasta
It was rather nice, even if I say it myself. I have a feeling too that the peas compliment the texture of the pasta.
I shall be trying some of the other recipes from last Saturday’s Times.
Doves Farm Tricolour Pasta
I cooked a pack of this for supper with my son and a friend. They both liked it.
Doves Farm Tricolour Pasta
So thev sauce was a bit runny, but it was just created with two onions, some garlic, some tinned chopped tomatoes, some chopped salami and possibly too much stock.
But it tasted good and everything was eaten up!
Gluten-Free Pasta with Broccoli, Feta and Puttanesca
This recipe is a modified version of one from Waitrose.
I basically changed the pasta for Doves Farm gluten free penne and doubled the quantity, so it served four. It fact, I miscounted as there were five and a half for dinner, but it stretched OK with the addition of a salad.
The ingredients were.
- 100g feta, cubed
- 300g of Doves Farm gluten free penne pasta
- 400g purple sprouting broccoli, cut into short lengths. I actually used broccoli florets cut into small pieces, as I bought the wrong sort. But you can use cauliflowers as well. Perhaps try them mixed.
- 180g jar Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Puttanesca Mix
- 50g pine nuts, toasted
- Grated zest of lemon
The method was as follows.
- I cooked the pasta according to the instructions on the packet in a large saucepan, until it was just tender. It was then drained and kept in the pan.
- The broccoli was cooked at the same time. But don’t stew it.
- Add the broccoli, feta, puttanesca mix, pine nuts and lemon zest to the pasta. Toss all together thoroughly and serve on warmed serving plates. I did cook it for perhaps a minute on the low hob of the AGA.
As I said earlier, I served it with a green salad.
I was the only coeliac at the table, but no-one complained about the pasta. So perhaps, gluten-free pasta isn’t always that bad.
I do think though, that of all gluten-free penne works best. After all Carluccio’s serve this type on their gluten-free menu. I think too, that it worked extremely well with the broccoli in this recipe.
The Anonymous Widower 