Acorn Flour Noodles
(Acorn Flour Noodles) Recipe

Origin: Fusion      Period: Modern

It's not well known, but you can make gluten-free (ie non wheat flour) noodles with a range of different flours and or flour adulterants. This current recipe uses acorn flour to make a very unusual gluten-free noodle.

Ingredients

70g acorn flour
70g potato starch
45g cornflour (cornstarch)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Acorn Flour Noodles
(Acorn Flour Noodles) Preparation:

Method:

To make acorn flour: During the autumn collect ripe acorns. Place on a baking tray and dry roast them in an oven on it's lowest setting for at least 5 hours. When the acorns are done crack and shell them. Place them in water in a large bucket and allow to soak for at least a week. Change the water at least twice a day. This process leaches away the tannin which is what makes acorns bitter (tannin in large quantities is toxic so you need to complete this process carefully).

When you think you have soaked the acorns long enough bite into an acorn. If it still tastes bitter then soak for longer. If you can only detect a trace of bitterness, or no bitterness then the acorns are ready. Grind the acorns whilst still wet either in a cofee grinder or a blender. Place the resultant meal in pans or on baking trays and place to dry either in the sun or in an oven on its lowest setting. When dry you can store the flour in sealed jars.

Now you can make your noodles: Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl (repeat this process at least 3 times) then form a well in the centre and add the oil and the eggs. Gradually draw the dry ingredients from the edges of the bowl into the liquid to form a stiff dough.

Once the ingredients are incorporated use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together as a ball (if a little dry then add some milk). Generously dust a board with cornflour and turn out the dough onto this. Dust the top of the dough then roll out as thin as possible. Cut into noodles with a sharp knife. You can either freeze at this point or your can cook immediately.

To cook, bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil then add the noodles and cook for about 10 minutes, or until just al dente. Note that, as these noodles contain no gluten (the binding agent in wheat flour) they are more fragile than ordinary noodles and need to be made by hand, rather than using a food machine. Also as there is no gluten they are suitable for anyone suffering from celiac disease or on a gluten-free diet. Use in any dish calling for pasta or noodles.

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