Book reviews by Mobilism's Book Review team
Mar 28th, 2018, 11:19 am
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TITLE: Pasta Reinvented: Gluten-free Pastas, Alternative Noodles, 80 Creative and Delicious Recipes
AUTHOR: Caroline Bretherton
GENRE: Non-Fiction, Food & Drink, Italian Cooking, Cookbooks, Cooking by Ingredient, Pasta & Noodles, Special Diet, Allergies
PUBLISHED: February 13, 2018
RATING: ★★★☆☆

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon iBookStore
MOBILISM LINK: Read Here

Review: Author Caroline Bretherton has spent 20 years following her passion for food by wearing many different hats in the food industry: British-born but now America-based, Caroline has run a successful catering company and cafe in the heart of London's Notting Hill, TV work on the Food Network, and writing for The Times Weekend Magazine and The Daily Telegraph. Pasta Reinvented is her 9th cookbook to grace bookshelves.

Making artisanal pasta has always been an interest of mine so this book especially caught my eye as it delves completely into gluten-free pasta making. I have no issues with gluten but I know many people who are gluten-intolerant avoid food items such as pasta and noodles. This book provides many substitution and meal options for gluten-intolerant people, in addition to people who want to cut down on white-flour based products and incorporate other flours into their diets.

Pasta Reinvented has over 75 protein and fibre-packed recipes that offer exciting flavour combinations as well as being a unique alternative to traditional pasta recipes.

The cookbook provides a canvas and inspiration with endless possibilities and combinations that they can try if they delve into the non-traditional options. Pasta Reinvented shows you how to turn pulses, grains, and vegetables into pasta dough and noodles, which can be used in soups, pasta salads, pasta bowls, baked pastas, and even desserts. There are sauce suggestions as well to make the best pairings with the kind of dough used. Rice, buckwheat, spelt, chickpea, pulses, sea vegetables, chestnut flours, corn flour, and more are used to make these alternate versions, there are step-by-step instructions to shape pastas such as orecchiette, ravioli, lasagna, gnocchi, farfalle and even spaetzle! One of my favourite non-fussy recipes is shared below...

CHICKPEA CACIO E PEPE WITH CRISPED LEEKS

Salty Parmesan and fiery red pepper flakes flavour this tangle of simple chickpea pasta. Crisped leeks provide a beautiful finish to the dish, as well as contrasting texture.

serves 4 // time 25 mins // gluten free

INGREDIENTS
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 batch of chickpea flour dough, cut into spaghetti (see Shaping Machine-Rolled Lasagne & Ribbons)
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes, plus extra to serve
60g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra to serve
for the crisped leeks
sunflower oil, for frying
2 leeks, washed and trimmed
1 tbsp cornflour
salt

METHOD
1 To make the crisped leeks: in a medium, heavy-based saucepan, pour in the sunflower oil to a depth of 5cm (2in). Heat the oil to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4). Meanwhile, slice the leeks in half lengthways, then very finely slice into thin strips. Blot away any moisture with kitchen paper. Toss the leeks in cornflour. When the oil reaches the right temperature, working in batches, transfer the leeks to the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and place on kitchen paper to absorb the oil. Season with salt to taste.

2 In a pan of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and reserve 240ml (8fl oz) cooking water.

3 In the same pan, heat the olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter, black pepper, and red pepper flakes over a medium heat. Cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the reserved cooking water, pasta, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and the Parmesan. Toss until the Parmesan melts in and the water is absorbed, adding a little more water as desired. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

4 Serve immediately topped with the crisped leeks, Parmesan, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

I like that there are "pasta swap" options given at the end of each recipe, advising which other pastas can be used alternatively. There is a SUBSTITUTING PASTA TYPES section as well with a table that gives readers substitutes for each type of pasta. The PASTA POSSIBILITIES section introduces us to many types of alternative kinds of pasta and noodles made with vegetables, beans, and unusual grains.

Pasta Reinvented is definitely a must keep for gluten-intolerant diners but also for people who want to eat fewer carbs but still receive more nutritional value in their meal. One negative that definitely annoys me is all the alternative flour recipes included eggs as a binder, I know many celiac patients have an intolerance to eggs as well. None of the dough recipes excludes eggs. It’s such a shocker that no actual vegan recipes were provided. At least a few non-traditional flours - chickpeas, rice, etc - can be bonded without eggs to make a kind of thin noodle that can be deep-fried for snacks; hence, my disappointment on such a huge miss.
Mar 28th, 2018, 11:19 am
Mar 31st, 2018, 10:45 pm
Thank you so much for taking the time to review Pasta Reinvented, WordDiva.

I made “BEETROOT TAGLIATELLE WITH GOAT’S CHEESE & FRIED SAGE” and it was delicious !!!! Having cooked daily for over 50 years, I struggle sometimes to find recipe concepts that are new, healthy and not overly complex in preparation.. Pasta Reinvented is going to help me thru the upcoming hot summer months, for sure.
Mar 31st, 2018, 10:45 pm
Mar 31st, 2018, 11:13 pm
Thanks Eff! It is a really unique and lovely book, I would’ve definitely given it full rating if only it had included 2-3 pasta dough which didn’t contain eggs as binder, we actually use your normal all purpose flour the least actually in our day to day cooking, we use lot of whole wheat, chickpea, various millet flour, rye and even chestnut flour on occasions hence I know it was totally doable with chickpea and rice flour too! I was disappointed by the use of spiralised veggies as noodles for vegan recipe :(
Mar 31st, 2018, 11:13 pm

If you want to be happy, be... Happiness depends upon ourselves. :wave:

Cheers,
Diva ♥ x
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