Pie Monday

Who doesn’t love a good pie? A traditional British favourite, we are indebted to the Romans for bringing us this culinary classic following their conquest of our isle. Served up at football matches and at Michelin-star restaurants alike, the British public’s love affair with the pie seems to be standing the test of time.

Not so for the Coeliac. Suddenly you see the pie in a new, less-forgiving light. It is as though you’ve caught your beau in a clinch with someone else and this time, that someone else is your worst enemy: gluten. The pie has been deceiving you throughout your entire relationship. You feel betrayed. Angry. You glower at the pie and you wish that the British public didn’t love pies quite so much, but even more, you wish you didn’t love pies quite as much. Despite knowing what the pie has done to you, you still want it.

But wait…you still can have it! All you have to do is re-address your relationship with the pie by putting a permanent end to its dalliances with gluten and suddenly, you and the pie will be getting on better than ever!

After a lengthy separation of 6 months, I was finally reunited with the pie when I decided to make one from scratch earlier this week. It was my first attempt at pie-making and surprisingly, it turned out to be not only edible but actually really nice! It turns out pies are still great gluten free (and dairy-free if needed). I also made my pie low-FODMAP but feel free to alter my recipe as you like. I was particularly daunted at the prospect of making pastry from scratch after a previously disastrous gluten free pastry making experience in which my pastry ended up in a big blobby mush that I couldn’t prize off the work surface. However, no one was more shocked than I when my boyfriend, appointed as official pie-taster for the evening, rated the pie a success and declared that the pastry was the best bit! The moral of the story is that you definitely shouldn’t be put off from either making your own short-crust pastry or making a pie from scratch – it sounds a bit intimidating, but it is relatively straightforward and not as time-consuming as you might imagine.

Grace’s Gluten-Free Beef Mince Pie

Serves 4

For the Pastry:

125g Butter

200g Gluten Free Plain Flour

1 tsp Xantham Gum

1 Egg

Pinch of Salt

For the Filling:

500g beef mince

2 parsnips

2 carrots

1 courgette

Passata

250ml Vegetable Stock Cube

Cornflour

Pepper for seasoning

Olive oil

Preparation Method

1.      Make the pastry: rub together the butter, flour and xanthan gum in a bowl until it forms fine breadcrumbs. Crack the egg into the bowl and mix to form a dough with a round-bladed knife. Add in a pinch of salt. Wrap in cling-film and stick in the fridge for a few minutes whilst you prepare the pie filling.

2.      Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (180 if you have a fan oven).

3.      Slice the carrots and chop the parsnips into chunks and boil them in a pan.

4.      Whilst the carrots and parsnips are boiling, heat some olive oil in a pan. Add in the beef mince and fry until brown.

5.      Chop up the courgettes and pop them in with the carrots and parsnips. Courgettes cook very quickly so they only need a couple of minutes. Drain the veg and add it into the mince pan.

6.      Spoon in some passata (quantity is up to you depending on how tomatoey you like it). Pour in the vegetable stock. Add in a spoonful of cornflour to thicken. Grind in some pepper to season.

7.      Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer for five minutes.

8.      Pour the mixture into a pie dish.

9.      Roll out your pastry onto a chopping board into a shape roughly similar but slightly larger than the pie dish. Turn the chopping board upside down over the dish and the pastry should hopefully peel away and drop onto the top of the pie dish. If this step goes a bit awry, don’t worry. As long as the top of the pie is completely covered with the pastry it will still taste nice so you can patch the pastry up as needed.

10.  Brush the pie lightly with milk and prick it in the centre with a fork.

11.  Cook in the oven for 25 minutes (or until the pastry looks golden brown).

12.  Serve up with plenty of mash potato to the hopeful delight of your friends/family/housemates/partner.

So there you have it, a gluten-free pie!

A quick pie fact to finish off: the apple pie made its first appearance in English literature in 1589 as the Elizabethan dramatist Robert Greene wrote in his poem ‘Arcadia’, “Thy breath is like the steeme [sic] of apple pies.” Steamy stuff all round!

Top 5 Gluten-Free Products

I just thought I'd tell you all about my top 5 gluten-free products that I am currently enjoying:

1. Sainsburies free-from porridge oats.

I've been enjoying porridge for breakfast made with these oats and lactose-free milk. The oats are so tasty on their own that I've found I haven't needed to add anything else in for flavour but you could try adding a dash of maple syrup, a handful of raisins or a spoonful of fruit compote.
I also used them in a crumble recipe at the weekend and they were an amazing addition to the topping for a twist on a typical British crumble. 

2. Warburtons Fruity Sandwich Thins


If you are a fan of Warburtons seeded or white sandwich thins then you will love the new orange and sultana thins. Handy as a quick breakfast or snack, these are delicious on their own with butter or with a mashed banana compote (simply mash a banana and add a sprinkling of cinnamon if you like and heat it briefly in the microwave). Alternatively, Warburtons has a great recipe search database where you can search for recipes by product. Here are their suggestions for the fruity thins ->
http://www.newburnbakehouse.com/recipes?product=4111&field_meal_type_value=All&=Search

Fruity thins as hot cross buns

3. Marks and Spencer Victoria Sandwich Cake

Shop-bought gluten-free cakes are often not worth the extortionate prices and leave you disappointed with the dry texture and over-sweetened flavour. However, the M and S cakes do not go along with this trend and this one is my particular favourite. If you have only recently been diagnosed, it is very similar to their 'normal' Victoria sandwich. The flavour is still the same with the soft buttery sponge and ample buttercream and jam - the only difference between the gluten-free version and the original is a subtle change in the texture. More gluten-free cakes like the M and S ones please!

4. Wholebake 9Bar Peanut (available from Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Sainsburies, Holland and Barrett, E H Booth, other health food stores)

These snack bars are really handy for a healthy tea-break or packed lunch treat. Handmade and free from gluten, wheat, egg and yeast, they are suitable if you also suffer from egg-intolerance. They are crammed full of healthy seeds and nuts and are entirely free from preservatives. They are also held together with golden syrup rather than honey and so could be a snack bar of choice for you if you are on the low-FODMAP diet and hence honey is off limits for the moment.

9bar peanut bar - both healthy and delicious!

5. DS Crispbreads

Finally, I have to give a mention to DS Crispbreads - they served as my classic staple food throughout my European and American ventures in the summer and when I go travelling again I will make sure there's plenty of these in my suitcase in case of an emergency. I'm still favouring them back in the UK as an alternative to sandwiches in a packed lunch. I love them simply with peanut butter spread on the top but you could also try them with cream cheese and smoked salmon, jam, houmous or anything else you can think of really. They go with sweet or savoury toppings and I think they should be permanent staple in any gluten-free kitchen cupboard!

Ultimate essential for any gluten-free traveller

So, there's my current top 5 - more to follow shortly as I'm trying out all sorts of new products after becoming very over-excited by the huuuuge Sainsburies free-from isle near my new house.

Low-FODMAP spaghetti bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is quick and easy if you are doing it 'normally' and there is no reason why a gluten-free AND low-FODMAP version can't be too. The main adjustment for low-FODMAP is just exclude onions and garlic but fear not, that doesn't mean you have to compromise too much on flavour.

Ingredients:

Gluten-free spaghetti
Beef mince
Passatta
Can of chopped tomatoes
Carrot
Spring Onion (green bit only for low-FODMAP)
Yellow pepper
Mixed herbs
Parmesan cheese
Cheddar cheese

I haven't included quantities here as it's up to you really depending on how much you want of everything. As a student, I tend to make more than I need and then freeze portions of the sauce as it is quick to reheat another day.

Method

1. Heat up some oil in a large frying pan. Add the mince and fry until brown.
2. Add in the spring onion, finely chopped carrots and yellow pepper.
3. Add in the chopped tomatoes and passatta.
TIP: Bear in mind passatta has quite a strong tomato flavour so add more for a fresher and sharper flavour; add less if you prefer a more meaty flavoured bolognese.
4. Stir in some mixed herbs and pepper to season. Add in a small amount of grated parmesan for a creamer texture. Leave to simmer on a low heat whilst you cook the spaghetti.
5. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for about 15 mins.
TIP: Ensure not to over-cook the spaghetti as if this happens gluten-free spaghetti is particularly prone to breaking into pieces.
6. Drain the pasta and serve. Pour over the bolognese and then sprinkle over some cheddar cheese to serve.

DIETARY TIP: Remember, hard cheeses such as parmesan and cheddar are suitable on the low-FODMAP diet as they are low in lactose.

Hope you enjoy this quick and easy recipe!

Low-FODMAP chicken casserole

Hi all,

More travel reviews to come but in the meantime, here is a recipe for a low-FODMAP chicken casserole. I'm half way through 8 weeks on the low-FODMAP diet after being put on it by my dietician and so far it hasn't proved as tricky as I expected - you just have to get a bit creative in the kitchen and think about what you can have, not what you can't have.

This dish would definitely be improved with the addition of some onion so if you're just gluten free stick some of that in. Here is the low-FODMAP version I've been using - thanks to my mum for the recipe:

Ingredients (for 2 people, or double the quantities if you want to make lots to freeze)

2 chicken breasts (cut up)
4 streaky bacon rashers
Green pepper
Carrot
Can of chopped tomatoes
200ml chicken or vegetable stock (double check that the stock cube you are using is gluten free as note that some, such as OXO, contain gluten)
Cornflour for thickening

Method:

1. Fry the chicken and bacon until the chicken is lightly browned and the bacon is crispy. Boil the carrots.
2. Remove the bacon and chop into small pieces. Add it back into the pan along with the pepper - fry lightly. Add in the boiled carrots.
3. Add the can of chopped tomatoes, the chicken/vegetable stock and some cornflour to thicken. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat - simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve with some potatoes (mash/jacket potato/roast potato)

Variation: you could try adding some spring onion (remember, green part only if you are doing low-FODMAP) or varying the vegetables (courgette or aubergine might work well).

Gluten-Free Budapest

Sorry for not updating for a while - I've been away in the U.S. on holiday (updates of my food experiences here will follow shortly).

Anyway, Budapest....

Budapest's impressive Parliament building - well worth having a tour!

The three days I spent in Budapest were definitely a highlight of my trip through Europe - there was so much to do and see with Budapest's fascinating political history, beautiful architecture and thriving atmosphere that although we crammed as much as possible into our time there, we could spend another three days there and do a completely different but equally enjoyable itinerary. Even better, I found it straightforward to manage eating gluten-free here and enjoyed two absolutely fantastic dining experiences:

KOLEVES

This restaurant was ideal for the gluten-free traveller - nearly all items on the menu were gluten-free (clearly labelled 'GF') so it was exciting to have a huge choice for once. Since being diagnosed I have nearly always felt a bit left out of the "what are you going to have?" discussion that always precedes a meal out. As I'm sure many of you have found, the period before ordering can be an isolating experience as your dining companions debate and drool over the various options open to them whilst you have decided in a few seconds as there is only one or two GF options.
Not the case with Koleves - even Coeliacs with lactose intolerance would also have some choice as lots of dishes were also marked 'DF' for dairy-free. My 3 friends without dietary requirements also all rated this meal as one of their best of our trip.

Roast chicken breast with a grape, carrot and nectarine salad
 

Meals were reasonably priced and staff seemed very knowledgeable - the waitress read my dietary card properly rather than scanning over it quickly as I found sometimes happened in other establishments and fully understood my requirements. Her confidence along with their informative menu helped me to relax and fully enjoy my delicious chicken - often, I find that even if places can deal with dietary requirements, they are so tentative or vague in their service that I'm on edge for the whole meal.

My non-Coeliac friend's G/F goose, potatoes and red cabbage. Picture doesn't really do it justice as unfortunately I'm no food photographer but he rated it very highly!

Koleves also has an excellent outdoor bar complete with swinging hammocks and a camper van to move on to once you have finished your meal - a fantastic evening out all round!

ASZU ETTEREM

Centrally located, this busy restaurant had a great atmosphere whether you sat outside watching the world go by or inside with the accompaniment of the live pianist. Although the restaurant was what we would classify as 'fine dining' in the UK, it was a lot cheaper than the UK equivalent would be and so was still just about affordable for a group of 4 students as a treat.
The menu wasn't labelled with G/F options but our waiter took my dietary card to the chef and explained to me which dishes I could have or could be adapted. Like with Koleves, there was quite a reasonable choice as the majority of dishes compromised naturally gluten-free ingredients such as meat, potatoes and veg.

The waiter brought a bread basket for my non-Coeliac friends but this was quickly followed with a separate basket of warm gluten-free rolls for me! This was only the 2nd time that I had ever been served g/f bread before a meal and so I was verrrry excited!! The rolls were delicious and remain the best g/f bread by far I've had to date - it did taste slightly different to 'normal' gluteny bread, but not in a negative way - for once, I even thought my bread might be better than that of my fellow diners as these really were delicious!

For my main, I had a duck breast with potato rosti, blackberry sauce and cauliflower puree.

Home-made warm G/F rolls in their very own basket (also came with separate butter)
 

Duck breast and potato rosti

Aszu Etterem

Overall, a really fantastic experience and in fact better than anything I have thus far experienced in the UK.

I also found that supermarkets had a good gluten-free selection:

Gluten-Free (plus diabetic range) in a small 24 hour corner store in Budapest

So, any Coeliacs considering Budapest as a potential destination - do it!

 

Gluten-Free Slovenia

I'll start by saying that Slovenia is an absolutely amazing place to visit, and luckily for Coeliacs I also found it much better at catering for the gluten-free diet than I was expecting - I had some really fantastic food here.

LJUBLJANA

Eating establishments and bars with outdoor dining line the Ljubljanica River in the centre of this small city, and although when presenting my Slovenian restaurant card I found that not all were able to cater for me, we managed to discover some excellent places where I could eat.

Ljubljanica River

Pizzeria Trta

Pizzeria Trta taken from a boat tour on the Ljubljanica

Located just outside the bustling city centre (no more than a five minute walk) this pizzeria clearly lists the availability of gluten-free pizza bases on the menu:

 

My tuna and tomato pizza 'brez glutena'

I really couldn't fault Pizzeria Trta on either service or on quality of food - the waiter repeated that it was a gluten-free pizza when serving my food which is always reassuring and he also informed me that it had been cooked separately to reduce cross-contamination risks which is of course always the bane of a Coeliac's life when trying to eat out. The pizza itself was very tasty with a nice crisp base and variety of topping options available.

Zlata Ribica

Situated right in the centre of town and with a pleasant outdoor seating area, we had an excellent dining experience at Zlata Ribica. Although not familiar with catering for Coeliacs, the waiter responded positively when I showed him my restaurant card before we sat down which was a nice surprise as I often found people would look at it rather bemusedly. Buoyed by this promising start, we were not to be disappointed and gluteny and non-gluteny members of our party alike enjoyed the meal. A huge TV showing the France/Germany World Cup Quarter Final was also appreciated!
The waiter showed my restaurant card to the chef and then explained clearly what would be appropriate off the menu. I had pork and potatoes which were all well-cooked - my main criticism would be that there wasn't a sauce available but the waiter brought me some olive oil which went well. At the end we even got a free drink of blueberry liquor!

Cokoladnica Cukrcek

This aaaaaaaamazing chocolate shop completely prevented any jealousy occurring when other members of the party opted for an ice cream as I was able to devour a bag of divine dark truffles!

The assistant was able to look up which truffles were gluten-free (a decent range!) and other wrapped products such as bars were clearly labelled as gluten-free in English. There was also a diabetic range available.


Gluten-Free Raw Ice-Cakes

Unfortunately I didn't try these myself but look out for the sign below displayed in restaurants - they seem to be a Slovenian brand as I saw them offered in Lake Bled too. They are made with entirely natural products.

 

The Market

The market offers a huge range of different fresh products such as fruit, vegetables, fruit smoothies and cheeses.

Ljubljana Castle

The castle is a really great place to visit, but if you were hoping to grab lunch here it is probably best to make alternative arrangements as there isn't really anything suitable for Coeliacs on the menu. It was a nice place to grab a drink though with a variety of coffees, teas and juices on offer.

LAKE BLED

 Hostel Vila Viktorija

Our hostel offered cheap breakfasts (I think it was roughly 2.50 euros), one of which was able to be made gluten-free! It was supposed to have granola on it but I explained my requirements and they made me this 'Healthy Breakfast Pot' (strawberries, apple, Greek yoghurt, honey) which was really delicious:

Healthy Breakfast Pot by Hostel Vila Viktorija

 

Gostilna Planincu (pizzeria)

This place was absolutely amazing and one of my favourite meals of the whole trip! The pizza was genuinely the best pizza I have ever had even taking all gluteny ones into consideration pre-diagnosis. The pizzeria is quirkily decorated with motorbikes on the ceiling and so it is a really interesting place in which to sit and eat.
The chef prepares all the pizzas in front of you in a woodfired oven. I could see him washing his utensils and putting my pizza on a clean tray before cooking it to avoid contamination from the oven. I would thoroughly recommend this for a delicious and safe meal - ten out of ten!

Motorbikes in Gostilna Planincu pizzeria

 



                                                     My amaaaazing four cheese pizza

 

Villa Preseren 

 Although this was a lovely lake-side bar/eaterie I would issue a word of warning here - it was an excellent place just for a drink but they offered NO FOOD at all really for Coeliacs and were not particularly friendly about telling me so. There is a huge range of lovely cakes for gluteny people, but if you want to go here with your Coeliac partner or family member I wouldn't really recommend it as they will only be left disappointed as they are left with only lettuce in comparison to your chocolate torte or fruit strudel.
I did enjoy the delicious strawberries and cream they provided, but I was left feeling ripped off as I was charged full price for a sundae of which I had not been able to have half of the ingredients. My attempts to negotiate did not go down well so overall this establishment didn't really have a positive approach to dietary requirements.

Gluten-Free Zagreb, Croatia

Nishta

The first place we ate in Zagreb was a café called Nishta. Nishta is a speciality dietary restaurant and offers a huge range of clearly labelled gluten-free options at affordable prices (along with vegetarian and vegan options too). They also have an establishment in Dubrovnik.

Nishta had a really nice atmosphere and staff seemed knowledgeable about the various dishes on offer.


Nishta Salad Bar

You could select from an expansive menu of soups, curries, Nachos, gnocchi, salads, fishcakes, gluten free rice noodles and other creative dishes. On request desserts could also be adapted to be gluten free.



Gluten free nachos with salsa, cheese and sour cream along with homemade lemonade

 Agava

We ate here for an evening meal - it was in an excellent central location and we sat on a nice outdoor table overlooking the street below.

I shared a starter plate of local cheeses and smoked meats and then I had a roasted breast of duck with fresh vegetables (or 'ratatouille' at the Croatians seemed to call  it).



Starter Platter

 

Duck Breast

 

 



 All the food was fresh, simple, tasty and excellently prepared and the waiter basically introduced you to your food as he pointed and explained each ingredient and where it had come from.

My one criticism would be that there was a very limited menu here for those eating gluten free - basically all that was available was meat accompanied by vegetables (for some reason the waiter said I couldn't have rice, potatoes or any sauces so I assume they floured lots of their products) so I wouldn't recommend it for Coeliacs who are also vegetarian.

Amélie

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of my cake here as I ate it on the go but this quaint patisserie was centrally located and offered three gluten-free cake options. The man on the counter spoke absolutely perfect English and offered a wonderful explanation of the gluten free products and precisely what ingredients they had been made of. My chocolate cake was flavoursome and had a good moist texture - I would thoroughly recommend Amélie to anyone visiting Zagreb!

 

 

 

Fruit Markets

I found fruit in Zagreb really delicious as a quick snack or for a picnic lunch - the market offered an amazing selection of all sorts of things!

        Berries at the market, with thanks to Ben Powell

 

 



 

 

More reviews to follow shortly - next stop Ljubljana, Slovenia!