'Wholemeal' Pastry

This is for me, so I remember a mighty fine pastry recipe. I'll triple test and refine it before I make a fuller post, but feel free to try it in the meantime.

This pastry is resilient, crunches well and doesn't crack. The texture is like wholemeal pastry. Perfect for quiches.

70g maize flour
70g buckwheat flour
50g rice flour
20g potato flour
1/2 tsp xanthum gum
25g lard chopped into 1cm cubes
50g margarine (I used Stork and Flora Freedom)
1 medium egg
20ml almond milk

1) Mix the flours and gum until nicely combined.

2) Rub the fat into the flour.

3) Beat the egg and milk together and add them to the mixture bit by bit until you have a slightly over sticky dough (don't worry the flour will absorb the liquid as it rests at step 5).

4) Knead until smooth.

5) Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

6) Turn the oven on to preheat 200C / 180C fan / gas mark 6.

6) Roll out ready for use with a little rice flour, place in a greased tin and refrigerate until the oven is ready.

8) Brush the surface with beaten egg and milk.

7) If you are making small items skip to number 8

8) If you are making one large item or a very wet one (e.g.quiche) you will need to blind bake the pastry. Cut a square of greaseproof paper big enough to cover the whole item. Weight it down with baking beads (or use coins, dried peas or another handy alternative) and cook for 10.15 minutes until it comes away easily.

9) Use as required!

Yorkshire Puddings (made gluten free, dairy free, soya free, nut free and low FODMAP)

Ingredients

25g tapioca flour
25g rice flour
20g cornflour (US friends: cornstarch)
3 medium eggs
50-80ml rice milk
Seasoning to taste.

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients until smooth and leave to stand (I usually give it an hour at room temperature).
2. Pre-heat the oven and a muffin tray to 220C / fan 200C / gas 7
3. Add a little rapeseed oil and brush up the sides, pop back in the oven for 5 minutes.
4. Stir the batter and pour into the tray, it usually makes 7 or 8.
5. Cook for 10 minutes (don't open the oven during this time, or disaster will strike)
6. After 10 minutes turn the temperature down to 200C / 180C fan / gas 6 and open the oven for 10 seconds or so to let the heat reduce.
7. Cook for a further 5 minutes and serve immediately.

The Wittery Bit

There have been many solid doorstops on the way to this recipe. All of them were worth it to give Mr FODMAP a proper Sunday Roast again.

It might sound like a lot of faff, but I promise it's worth it. I get my flours very cheaply at local African Caribbean and Indian shops. Not all are coeliac friendly, but if you're low FODMAP or not exceptionally sensitive you may be ok.

Quick Low FODMAP Bakewell Tart

If you’re dedicated you can make the pastry, marzipan and jam in this recipe by hand, but some days I like to cheat, because low FODMAP life is hard enough, and I want pudding in 45 minutes.

Because I'm obsessed with the inside of cakes

For the pastry case and lining

Half a block of gluten free shortcrust pasty (I used Genius)

80g marzipan

2 tablespoons of raspberry jam (check for glucose-fructose syrup and other lurky FODMAPs)

For the sponge

70g rice flour 

10g potato flour

40g maize flour (see witterings)

90g sugar

90g dairy free margarine (I used Vitalite, which has a high water content)

 5g baking powder

 5g olive oil

 2 medium eggs

 A splash of vanilla extract

Method

1.      Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / 400F / gas mark 6

2.      Line a pie tin (or in my case a cake tin) with greaseproof paper. 

3.      Roll out the pastry using a dusting of flour and pop into the tin.  Some clever people combine these two steps and roll directly onto greaseproof paper, but it's never really worked for me.

4.      Prick the base several times with a fork.

5.      Put a sheet of greaseproof on top and fill with baking beads (if you don't have any then coins placed flat, rice or dried pulses will do, but you can't eat them afterwards - especially the coins).

6.      Blind bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

7.      In the meantime roll out a thin circle of marzipan on greaseproof paper to line your tin.

8.      Gently heat the jam using the stove or microwave, until it's a nice, spreadable consistency, you may need a splash of water.

9.      Once your case has cooled remove the baking beads and line it with the marzipan and jam.

10.   Cream together the sugar, margarine, oil and vanilla extract.

11.   Muddle your flours and baking powder together and add them to the bowl.

12.   Mix together, then mix in the eggs.

13.   Your batter should feel like a normal Victoria sponge

14.   Place dollops of the mix in your case, spreading over the case until you can't see any jam

15.   Bake for 25-30 minutes.

16.  Makes 8-10 slices, and will keep for up to 5 days.

Wittering

I hate machine-made, clown-nosed, gluten free bakewell tarts.  They're expensive, sugary, and usually contain cherries, glucose-fructose syrup and frangipane. 

They’re poison to anyone in FODMAP elimination, or with a sensitivity fructose and oligosaccharides. 

My recipe minimises FODMAPs, removing cherries and replacing frangipane with marzipan - equal parts sugar and almonds, giving an almond flavour within the 8-10g guidance.

Dairy:  This is dairy free because despite butter being lactose free and lacto-free products, I know some people still react to it.

Flour:  I mix flours to get a better texture (rice for lightness, potato for structure, maize to counteract graininess, olive oil to retain moisture), but experiment with it and see what comes out – let me know if you improve on the recipe!

Topping: Some people add almonds and.or icing.  It looks prettier, but I think it's sweet enough.

Italian FODMAP Friendly Fun

Italy.  Of all the countries, in the entire world, we had to choose that one.  A place with national dishes comprising every major FODMAP.

I wasn’t expecting it to be easy – we’d booked a self-catering apartment and packed rice milk in anticipation of the hell that was sure to ensue, but it never did.

Italy is very allergy aware.  It’s easy once you’ve researched the area and got the hang of checking for ciprolle (onions), funghi (mushrooms), aglio (garlic),  and asking about ‘senza glutine’ and ‘senza lattioza’.

Most dishes are straightforward; the menu listings are the ingredients.  No packet sauces lurking in the background, no sweeteners or flavour enhancers waiting to trip you over with their FODMAP evilness.

When we did need to ask for allergen information every member of staff knew what we meant (even in our broken Italian), and could respond (often in two languages).  No faffing to find ‘the folder’, no needing to call the chef and no hunting down a manager.  No excruciatingly long queues building up behind your blushes.  Simple, accurate answers to allergen questions, provided immediately.

The approach to cross contamination was similarly refreshing.  Restaurateurs can undertake qualifications to show that they are gluten aware, and display the crossed grain symbol in a red emblem to show their status.  Great for coeliacs and IBS types who can’t handle even a smidge of gluten/fructans.

We found a number of restaurants offering safe options.  Fish and meat dishes were often ok, as were gluten free pastas (but remember to limit your tomatoes!).  We used lactase enzyme to help us eat pizza (senza glutine for Mr FODMAP, but it was as good as my gluten-filled version) and gluten free tiramisu.

We found a number of locations selling ice cream (yes, chocolate ice cream!), that was dairy free, and some places even had gluten free cones.  The sorbets were all dairy and gluten free, but so filled with fresh fruit that intake had to be strictly limited.  We also found lovely granite (a kind of posh slush puppy) which was great, but sometimes had glucose-fructose syrup in it.

The supermarkets have well-stocked gluten free sections (including beers we’d never seen), low FODMAP pesto, non-dairy milks (darn that wasted suitcase space!), different flours, safe (ish) amaretti, and in some cases fresh GF low FODMAP pasta, which was gorgeous. Meat was remarkably cheap, and fruit and vegetables from the markets are cheap and largely organic.

We went to a couple of gluten free stores and were astounded by the range of products.  Each label required careful checking, as these items were less straightforward and simple, but we still came home with FODMAP cannelloni, cakes, gnocchi (with a choice of flours!) and specialities of the region.

Most items use rice or cornflour, Mr FODMAP is usually a bit wobbly with the latter, but his stomach seemed to thrive on it.  Even the expresso seemed to be ok, when at home coffee is always a no-no – I think sunshine and coffee just agree with him.

We were staying in a town called Como in the north of Italy.  You can find a map with the locations and descriptions of the FODMAP places we went to here:

The area is an hour or so from Milan, which also has amazing FODMAP feeding opportunities.  

Have you found any FODMAP gems on your travels?

40 Second Chocolate Heaven

This was last night's pudding.  Not one of our recipes, but too good not to share.  We used a Doves flour and rice milk to make it safe.

Our dinner guests this weekend will be having a chocolate coffee version with a smidge of espresso and coffee liqueur.  Mmmm.

Hot Chocolate Fondant in a Microwave Mug
http://standardissuemagazine.com/lifestyle/making-winter-4/

Labour of Love Low FODMAP Bolognese

Finally, a low FODMAP Bolognese that answers all those cries of ‘how do I get enough sauce?’.  Simple – a blend of roasted red peppers, wine and stock to bulk out your tomatoes.  Be warned, this is a labour of love, you can probably find quicker recipes, but I promise this is best!

Makes 12 portions

Time: 4-5 hours

850g beef mince

500g pork mince

75g bacon or pancetta lardons

1-3 chicken livers

1 aubergine

1 courgette

2-3 carrots

The green bits of 1 leek or a couple of sticks of celery

4 peppers (or 1 fresh pepper and a jar of roasted ones)

Fresh basil

Dried basil

Oregano

Rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil (feel free to use garlic oil if you can tolerate it)

2 x 400g tins of tomatoes

Red or white wine and/or stock

100g pecorino or parmesan, finely grated

A little lacto free milk, if you can tolerate it

Homemade roast peppers

If you’re making your own roast peppers

1. Pop them in the oven at 200C fan/220 conventional/gas mark 7 for 30-40 minutes.  When they come out put them in a plastic sandwich bag (watch your fingers, they’ll be hot!) and tie the top.  Set aside to cool.  You can do this a day or so ahead if it’s easier to make them whilst you’re making another dish.

2. Chop all of your vegetables into small cubes – around 5-10mm.

3. Fry the bacon lardons until they release fat.  Use this to fry the mince off in batches, setting all of it aside in a bowl for later.

4. Chop the chicken liver and fry off for a moment or two. 

5. Once your peppers are cool enough, peel off the skins and pop the flesh into a blender, if you’re using a jar, pop them straight in.  Add the fried chicken liver and blend until smooth.

6.  Add the wine and tinned tomatoes.  If you have stock you can add it at this point.  Blend again to make a sauce.

7.  Fry your vegetable cubes in the meat fat for a few minutes, then pour over the sauce. 

8.  You’ll have a sour smelling, unappetising orange goo.  Don’t worry, it’s normal.  Bring the mix to the boil to cook off the alcohol.

9. Add the meat to the sauce and vegetables.  Add your herbs and seasoning, the proportions are up to you, the flavour will change over the cooking time anyway.

10.  Cook at a slow bubble for an hour, stirring occasionally. 

11. Add the pecorino and stir in splash of milk, if using.   Cook for half an hour more, stirring occasionally, until the mix has reduced.

12. Preheat the oven to 150C fan/170 conventional/gas mark 3.  Cook covered in the oven for 1 hour, then uncovered for an hour.  Stir from time to time.

13.  When it comes out it will be brown, slightly shiny on top, with a thick, glossy sauce.  Stir in a bit of fresh basil, and enjoy with gluten free pasta, on baked potatoes, or any other way you fancy.

Why blooming bother?

See why it’s a labour of love?  (I love you Mr FODMAP!).  That’s why I make it in bulk.  You get about 2 kilos of Bolognese that will freeze wonderfully.  Freeze it with pasta and you have instant lunch, TV dinner, post workout yums, or something you can take to a friend’s when they freak out about what to feed you.

Notes and Tips

This recipe needs to make at least 10 portions to be fructose safe because of the tomatoes, which need capping at 80g.  If you’re making less, remember to alter your proportions.  To be honest, you can probably reduce the amount of tomatoes, and it would be more authentic to.

Don’t leave out the chicken liver.  I hate liver (ask my mum about the time I hid it under my plate rim), but it gives the deeper flavour notes that we miss when we lose onion and garlic.

If you’re using a packet stock, then remember to check for onions and garlic and gluten if (like Mr FODMAP) you’re super sensitive.  We try to avoid packet ones because Mr F often reacts to them, but I think Knorr Touch of Taste is safe at the time of writing.

Apologies to my Italian friends for the extraneous vegetables and random herbs that do not belong in Bolognese, but FODMAPpers need fibre!

More pics follow, it's still cooking!

Quick FODMAP Blancmange

Yeah, I take bad photos

So easy it's embarrassing

2 teaspoons custard powder

200ml almond milk (see below)

2-3 teaspoons sugar to taste

Chocolate (I use 4 squares of dark, but adapt for your taste and tolerances)

1. Put the dark chocolate and almost all of the almond milk in a saucepan.

2. Mix the last bit of almond milk with the custard powder and sugar and set aside

3. Heat the chocolate and almond milk mixture over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, until the chocolate melts.  You might need to whisk is a bit to bring it together.

4. Add the custard powder mix  to the pan and keep stirring.  Then keep stirring, then stir some more.  Don’t let it hubble and bubble, or it will stick.

5. After a few minutes the mixture will thicken.  You’ll notice lines in the mix first, then a clear thickening.  Take it to the school dinners custard consistency, then a shade further.

6. Allow to cool a little, then pour into bowls and chill, then serve.

Milking It
If you want to make this even easier you can buy chocolate almond milk. 
At this time nut milks haven’t been tested for FODMAP compatibility, so be cautious. 
If you're using rice milk you'll need another spoon of custard poweder.  We've not tried it with other kinds of milk as we don't tolerate them well.
   

Other uses for this recipe

• Use it whilst it's hot to make chocolate sauce (it tastes a bit odd as plain custard!)
• Use it to top black forest FODMAP trifle
• Replace the chocolate with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and extra sugar for a zingy topping to exotic fruit trifle.
• Serve mixed with fruit and marshmallows 
• Add liqueur and use it to top GNU pots (my low FODMAP variants of Gu pots, coming soon to a blog near you!)

How did you eat yours?  Please comment and tell us!

Actually I take REALLY bad pictures