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First, the basics. You can fake pasta by ribbon-cutting zucchini with a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife (pare it down to the core with the seeds). Same goes for eggplant, and spaghetti squash is a naturally ready-made substitute for noodles when you steam or roast it and fluff up the spaghettilike strands with a fork. Briefly saute the veggie "noodles" with herbs and garlic (you want to leave some texture) and it's a delicious dish.
Japanese konjac/konnyaku/shirataki noodles are a fibrous, gelatinous low-carb pasta substitute, but the texture does not resemble pasta made with wheat flour. They are rather chewy and can be considered an acquired taste. I wouldn't put tomato sauce on them or try to use them as a straight substitute for spaghetti, but they can be delicious in a savory broth with sukiyaki style thin sliced meat, Napa cabbage and crunchy bean sprouts.
I am experimenting with thin pancakes made with one egg and some binding agents, which can be cut into noodle strips. Ideas for binding agents include flax seeds, flax "goop" (the gel left over when you simmer and strain the seeds), vital wheat gluten, wheat bran, psyllium husk, Atkins bake mix, ThickenThin Not/Starch.
My first draft experiment contained one beaten egg, 1/2 a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten, 1 tbsp roughly ground coarse flax seed meal and 2 tbsp water. A cast iron pan was heated, a pat of butter dropped in and the batter poured evenly to make a thin crepelike pancake.
The result was delicious with a nutty flavor reminiscent of al dente whole wheat pasta, but the noodles themselves were so tender they were falling apart and the pancake was difficult to turn over. I propose to delete or reduce the water, keep the flax seeds which offered a nice flavor and texture, and increase the binding agents - maybe more wheat gluten and some psyllium powder.
I think I'm on the right track, but I can't make more than one draft per day because I'm eating the results and I don't want to overdo things. Anybody else want to experiment and post their results?
Japanese konjac/konnyaku/shirataki noodles are a fibrous, gelatinous low-carb pasta substitute, but the texture does not resemble pasta made with wheat flour. They are rather chewy and can be considered an acquired taste. I wouldn't put tomato sauce on them or try to use them as a straight substitute for spaghetti, but they can be delicious in a savory broth with sukiyaki style thin sliced meat, Napa cabbage and crunchy bean sprouts.
I am experimenting with thin pancakes made with one egg and some binding agents, which can be cut into noodle strips. Ideas for binding agents include flax seeds, flax "goop" (the gel left over when you simmer and strain the seeds), vital wheat gluten, wheat bran, psyllium husk, Atkins bake mix, ThickenThin Not/Starch.
My first draft experiment contained one beaten egg, 1/2 a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten, 1 tbsp roughly ground coarse flax seed meal and 2 tbsp water. A cast iron pan was heated, a pat of butter dropped in and the batter poured evenly to make a thin crepelike pancake.
The result was delicious with a nutty flavor reminiscent of al dente whole wheat pasta, but the noodles themselves were so tender they were falling apart and the pancake was difficult to turn over. I propose to delete or reduce the water, keep the flax seeds which offered a nice flavor and texture, and increase the binding agents - maybe more wheat gluten and some psyllium powder.
I think I'm on the right track, but I can't make more than one draft per day because I'm eating the results and I don't want to overdo things. Anybody else want to experiment and post their results?