5/17/07 Gluten free pasta can be used in place of traditional wheat pasta in most recipes. Major producers of celiac-friendly pasta include Heartlands Finest, Ancient Harvest, Tinkyada, Ener-G Foods and Mrs. Leepers (whose site is currently under construction), and Orgran. All these sites include suggested recipes.

  Gluten free pastas are widely used by the general public, so you will probably find corn, rice, potato, or bean pasta at your local supermarket. The Heartland’s Finest and Ener-G Foods site give names of names of retail outlets.

  Gluten free pasta cooks like wheat pasta but tends to be less “forgiving”, so watch the pot carefully and remove the pasta when it is ready. To avoid contamination, gluten free pasta should never be cooked in water that has been used to prepare regular pasta. Use separate pots or prepare the gluten free pasta first.

  It is certainly possible to prepare homemade pasta noodles.The Gluten Free Gourmet , beginning on page 230, gives instructions on how to prepare  the noodles and then gives suggestions for using them. If you are going to try this, be sure that you are doing it for the right reason. Gluten free cooking is not quick and simple; perhaps your home cooking time and energy should be saved for situations where delicious commercially prepared products are not available.

  E-mail me at gfceliac@gmail.com if you have thoughts that should be incorporated into this article.