This recipe has been long in the preparation. Most of that preparation has been in my head actually, thinking about it and with a bit of trepidation! I’ve made Homemade Gluten-Free Lemon Pepper Fettuccine pasta!
I think we all have those lingering ‘someday I’ll do that’ type endeavors and trying my hand at homemade gluten-free pasta has been a longstanding one for me. We’ve owned a pasta maker for as long as I can remember but I’ve never seen it out of the box. Now that I’ve made this recipe I’m sort of embarrassed it took this long.
Jump to:
The entire process of making pasta is quite easy. All the ingredients are combined in a food processor then rolled out in smaller quantities and fed into a pasta machine, which gradually flattens the dough until it is thin enough to feed through the fettuccine cutter (also part of the pasta maker).
Though I did dry some of the pasta as an experiment, I found simply tossing with a bit of rice flour keeps the pasta separated for cooking.
This is sort of a double Bucket List project as it’s my first attempt at baking by weight, instead of volume. I’ve been curious about that for a long time but candidly it’s a bit like learning the metric system when all you’ve known is the cups and ounces.
It seemed a big experimental leap and I’ve not made the time to hone my baking bilingualism to jump. The core of this recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver gluten-free pasta recipe, which through experimenting with several variations I finally landed on the perfect balance of flavors and texture I was seeking.
I did experiment with spooning the weight-based quantities into measuring cups and making the recipe again using the cup measurements only. One would imagine the result should be identical however it isn’t; close, but not exact.
Flours all weigh different amounts so 1 cup is not created equal and when scooping flour from a bag, the density in the cup can vary. For this recipe I’ve included each weight as well as an equivalent in volume, though I would urge if you have a scale that has grams use that option (I’ve included the conversion to ounces too). If not, spoon the flour into your measuring cups instead of scooping it directly.
A key difference between making gluten-free and gluten pasta is less elasticity without gluten as a binder for the dough, leaving the gluten-free pasta to tear if rolled too thinly. Do not use the smallest/thinnest settings on your pasta machine. The noodles need a bit more substance to compensate for the lack of gluten.
Our pasta machine is an Atlas 150 which can be found online on Amazon.com for around $70 (the price tag on the box of ours is $29.99 giving a sense of how long it’s been in the box!).
There are other pasta machines as well as motorized options (the motorized versions often for double the price and a motor really isn’t needed). Pasta makers are simple machines with two rollers and a setting dial to vary the thinness of the pasta, rolling it from the about 1/8 inch at the start into thin sheets to feed through the attached fettuccine or spaghetti cutters.
Should you not have a pasta machine, there are many tutorials on the internet such as this one by Cook’s Illustrated on making fettuccine without a pasta machine, guiding how to do so. Working with gluten-free dough will be a bit different if you’ve made gluten pasta before due to the lack of elasticity but still can be hand rolled and cut.
This bright-spicy flavored pasta is mouthwateringly delicious. It is fantastic on its own or as a side dish with a lighter protein such as salmon. It’s a great option for those preferring a plant-based diet. Regardless of whether your dietary focus is gluten-free or not, you’ll love this pasta!
Recipe
Homemade Gluten-Free Lemon Pepper Fettuccine Pasta
Ingredients
- 150 grams /5.3 ounces (approximately 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) White Rice Flour
- 50 grams /1.8 ounces (approximately ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons) Potato Starch
- 1 tablespoon Corn Flour
- 2 tablespoons Xanthan Gum
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 3 large Eggs plus 1 Egg Yolk , room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- Zest of 3 Lemons
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Process ingredients through a food processor with a dough blade. Knead on a lightly floured board until combined (2-3 minutes).
- Divide dough into 4 pieces. Work each quarter from rolling out to cutting, leaving the other quarters covered with a damp kitchen towel until using. Using a rolling pin, roll dough quarter to 1/8 inch thick. Pass through pasta machine on widest setting (the rolled dough may be cut in half vertically to fit into the pasta machine if needed) (1), then 2 settings thinner (#3) and 2 settings thinner again (#5).
- Pass the flattened dough through fettuccine cutter. Toss pasta lightly in rice flour to prevent sticking and set aside until the entire batch has been processed.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to bowl (there should be enough room for the pasta to boil freely). Add the homemade pasta and cook for 3 minutes or until done (it cooks quickly since it is fresh), stirring occasionally during the cooking to ensure the pasta noodles are separated. Drain and top with your favorite simple sauce such as a bit of browned butter with sautéed herbs and a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
This conversation was originally sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
Rosey says
I do love homemade pasta. My grandma used to make it and I helped. No one’s ever made the recipe quite the same, though we’ve been trying for years. 🙂
Toni Dash says
I’m not sure why none of us can ever replicate those Grandma recipes quite the same. My guess is that special Grandma love added something that just won’t ever be the same when we do it ourselves!
Chris Scheuer says
Looks like you came up with a wonderful recipe Toni. Who would miss the gluten with pasta that looks like this. I love the simplicity of lemon and black pepper for seasoning!
Toni Dash says
Thanks Chris. I think when it comes down to it, quality ingredients trump gluten or no gluten. If the texture is similar and the flavors good, you are right gluten isn’t missed. My husband is not gluten-free and loves pasta. When it gets his stamp of approval I know it’s a winner!
Shell says
I’ve never made my own pasta. I’d love to try this gluten free recipe!
Chrystal | YUM eating says
We make homemade noodles all the time, but I have never tried making a gluten free variety. I should. Probably save me a lot of stomach distress.
Chasing Joy says
Wow, it sounds complicated to convert the weights to volume. The pasta looks yummy though.