This week I got a mysterious package in the mail from Peggy! It was a mailing tube full of…… pasta! Woo-hoo! (Beth, there’s a box for you, too.)
It’s the cool pasta that is made with Jerusalem artichoke flour that Peggy talked about back when I was experimenting with the spaghetti squash. It’s fascinating!
I cooked some up for supper. Yuuuuuuummmmm.
I regret that I put a garlic clove in the cooking water (which I sometimes do when feeling fancy), because as it boiled I kept getting a plant-related whiff of something, but I couldn’t tell if it was garlic or artichoke. Whatever it was, it was very pleasant. As their website says:
Back in 1925, Anthony Alphonse DeBole, a gourmet cook and horticulturist, began experimenting with Jerusalem Artichokes, a 100% starch free vegetable. He found that when converted into flour, the Jerusalem Artichoke remained starch free and that when added to bakery products, it provided a distinct and pleasant aroma and taste.
DeBoles proudly offers the only brand of premium organic handmade pastas made with Jerusalem artichoke flour. A rich source of protein and dietary fiber as compared to traditional pasta, Jerusalem artichoke flour also naturally contains inulin, a prebiotic that stimulates the growth of beneficial bacterial in the digestive tract that in turn aids digestion and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Our signature recipe has a subtle nutty flavor and light smooth texture that is never sticky.
I’m so curious how they make the flour. Do they grind up the whole artichoke or just the edible parts? I have to admit that I didn’t notice much of a difference in taste, though that might be from the gobs of Italian dressing that I soak everything with. I still have half a box, so a salted-water-only cooking and topped-with-butter tasting might be in order.
I just love getting artichoke-related items. 🙂
Thanks, Peggy!
UPDATE: Research done, and it turns out that Jerusalem artichokes are very different from the other kind that I know. The edible part is the root, and it looks a lot like ginger or potatoes. Huh. Who’da thunk it?