Mealtime Magic: Gluten-Free Pasta

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

A while back, I reviewed Gluten-Free Breads by Running Press. I recently got a chance to review Gluten-Free Pasta: More than 100 Fast and Flavorful Recipes with Low- and No-Carb Options.

Like the other book, all recipes are gluten-free. And it's more than just "use GF noodles" and that's it. The author pairs specific types of noodles with specific sauces that help complement the different options wonderfully. There are recipes for making your own pasta, and recipes that use pre-made GF pasta. I have the opportunity to share two with you today.

Primavera Pasta

Primavera means "spring" in Italian, and the pasta should be a celebration of spring vegetables. Here, a cornucopia of colorful spring veggies is cooked to crisp-tender and tossed with pasta, cream, and chervil. Chervil is a delicate spring herb with a subtle, parsley-like flavor. The chervil plant can't stand the intense summer heat, so it comes and goes quickly, but you can substitute parsley and enjoy this pasta anytime you'd like.

Serves 4 to 5

8 ounces dried GF linguine or 1 recipe Basic Fresh Pasta (page 29), cut into linguine

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 small young carrots (about 5 ounces), halved

3 ounces broccoli, cut into florets

6 spears asparagus, tough bases trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped

4 ounces sugar snap peas (about 11/2 cups), trimmed

11/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, minced, more or less to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup packed fresh chervil leaves, chopped

Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
     If using dried pasta, cook while making the vegetable sauce; if using fresh, wait to cook it, since it only takes 2 minutes. Cook the dried pasta to al dente according to the package instructions, checking the pasta 2 to 3 minutes earlier than the recommended cooking time.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan about 5 minutes before the pasta will be done. Sauté the carrots, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, peas, and lemon zest over medium-high heat. After about 1 minute, add the garlic and sauté briefly. Add the cream and bring to a boil to reduce, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the chervil, and add salt and pepper to taste.

     Drain the pasta and toss with the vegetables in the pan. Add the Parmesan and toss again. Serve immediately.

Spicy Kimchi-Spiked Mac and Cheese

On a cold winter night, what could be better than a bubbly, warm pot of mac and cheese? Well, I think the spicy, tangy addition of kimchi is way more exciting. Kimchi is the sauerkraut of Korea, but spicier and with more veggies. Baking these in ramekins makes a handy appetizer portion, or you can bake the whole batch in a skillet.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the ramekins

3 tablespoons sweet rice flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

2 large jalapeños, seeded and chopped

10 ounces GF macaroni (about 2 1/2 cups)

6 tablespoons drained and chopped kimchi

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Lightly butter six 1-cup ramekins and put them on a sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter and then whisk in the rice flour, making a smooth paste. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and toasty-smelling. Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk, then return to the heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until the sauce just starts to bubble and thicken. Take off the heat and whisk in the salt, all but 1/2 cup of the Cheddar, and the jalapeños. Let the sauce stand on the stove while you cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta 5 minutes less than the package directs, drain it, and then put it in a large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and gently stir. Using a 1/3-cup measure, scoop some mac and cheese into each ramekin, then top each with a tablespoon of chopped kimchi. Tap each dish lightly against the sheet pan to even the tops. Sprinkle with the reserved Cheddar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden on top.

Alternatively, layer half of the macaroni mixture in an 11-inch oven-safe sauté pan, then top the macaroni with the kimchi, then evenly distribute the remaining macaroni over the kimchi. Sprinkle with the reserved Cheddar and bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.

Reprinted with permission from GLUTEN-FREE PASTA © 2014 by Robin Asbell, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Photos by Jason Varney.