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?
Brad says
I wonder if you can use Jerusalem artichoke flour to make bread and cookies and such. I can’t imagine you could treat it like wheat flour. But still… wouldn’t that be interesting? If it’s starchless, does that mean it’s lower in calories?
Are these noodles MADE with Jerusalem flour, or do they CONTAIN Jerusalem flour?
Lauren says
CONTAIN
Peggy says
So are you saying that this pasta tastes like regular pasta? I think it does & that’s why I like it. It’s healthy, but it tastes like the regular not-so-healthy pasta. It’s a good substitute. Now if they can just come up with a healthy substitute for Tastykakes….
Brad says
Is it fewer calories?
Peggy says
What are these ‘calories’ of which you speak?
Brad says
It’s a measure of enjoyment. The more the calories, the greater the enjoyment.
Peggy says
Hehe….oh, those buggers.
I think the calories are about the same as regular pasta, but at least with this stuff you’re getting protein & all that other good stuff instead of carbs.
wHeat pasta also has about the same amount of calories as regular pasta too.