Learning to live gluten-free

Recently, my husband was told he might be a Celiac.  Looking at the laundry list of symptoms, I came to realize I actually seem to have a lot more of the symptoms than he does.  Adding to that, I am the one that cooks and largely shops for the kitchen.  I would much rather just adapt to living gluten-free than have to fix food for each of us and I have been tinkering around with some gluten-free ("GF") cooking - mainly trying to bake breads but haven't had what I consider much success.  The breads are dense and sometimes come out wet in the middle and well-done on the outside.  

We donated unopened gluten containing food items to the local Salvation Army food kitchen and distributed partially used items to friends and family who don't have any problems.  Suffice it to say it was a LOT of stuff.  When you start thinking of cutting gluten from your diet, it becomes clear just how ubiquitous gluten is in our foodstuffs.  Aside from that, we have been following a largely plant-based diet these last 2 years.  Getting rid of gluten cuts quite a range of vegetarian meat replacements out of one's diet.  But not to fret, we will endure this as well.

Anyway, I was commiserating with my spouse about the lost joys of pizza, french bread...you get the idea.  I was searching the internet for recipes and came across one for Farinata Genovese on www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com.  The recipe is an adaptation from one of Mark Bittman's recipes.  Farinata is a Ligurian (province of Italy) flatbread made with chickpea flour.  It's very simple as you basically mix a little chickpea flour with water, salt and olive oil and let it rest for at least an hour and up to 12 hours.  I'm thinking that since I loved the recipe letting it sit for an hour, I wonder what letting it sit for 12 will do for it.  Ok, on with the cooking!

Farinata Genovese with Eggplant, Squash and Peppers

1 cup Chickpea Flour
1-3/4 cup Water
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt or 1/2 teaspoon Table Salt
1 teaspoon, ground Black Pepper
At least 5 tablespoons Olive oil, divided (I used my garlic-infused olive oil)
1/2 large Onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary

1 eggplant, sliced

1 zucchini squash, sliced

1 yellow crookneck squash, sliced

3-5 small brightly colored sweet peppers, sliced

garlic powder, granulated

smoked mozzarella cheese

1.  Mix the chickpea flour with the salt.  While whisking, add 2 TBS of the oil and then slowly add the water.  Once mixed, cover and let the mixture sit for at least 1 hour up to 12. 

2.  While the chickpea mixture is resting, prepare your mise en place.  Wash and discard the ends of the eggplant.  Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds.  Lay the eggplant onto a platter and lightly salt the tops of each layer when building the platter.  Treat the squash the same way as you did the eggplant but add some garlic powder as well as salt.

3.  Heat about 1 TBS of the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet and spread it around.  When the skillet is hot, add one layer of squash to the skillet and saute about 1 minute.  Flip the squash and cook another minute.  You are looking for a nice sear on each piece.  Place the cooked squash on a clean platter.  Proceed in this manner until all the squash is cooked.  You may have to add 1 TBS of olive oil between each batch.           

4.  Cook the eggplant in the same manner as the squash was cooked until all the eggplant is cooked.  

5.  Preheat the oven to 400°F for at least 8 minutes.  

6.  Add about 3 TBS of olive oil to the skillet and saute the thinly sliced onion until brown and caramelized but not burnt, about 1-2 minutes.  Spread the onions evenly over the bottom of the skillet.    

7.  Stir the chickpea mixture and add directly over the onions in the skillet and swirl to make sure it covers the entire bottom of the skillet.  

8.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and the center is cooked.

10.  Bring the skillet out and sprinkle the ground black pepper and rosemary over the baked farinata.  Drizzle olive oil over the base.  Layer the seared eggplant over the base.  Layer the squash over the eggplant.  Spread the cut peppers over the squash.  Grate enough smoked mozzarella cheese to make a thin covering over all the vegetables.  

11.  Return to the oven and bake an additional 8 minutes at 400°.  

12.  Cut the finished farinata and serve in wedges while hot.  

4-8 servings; serve with a crisp green salad with a lovely balsamic vinegarette.   Buon appetito!