With Passover just around the corner, we figured it would be a great time to experiment with making this classic dish; kasha varnishkes, served up gluten-free. Hayley grew up eating this Ashkenazi Jewish dish, a combination of nutty kasha (buckwheat groats, which despite the name is gluten-free), sautéed onions, and farfalle pasta.
This dish goes excellent with Bubbe's Famous Brisket. Kasha varnishkes is traditionally made with farfalle (aka bowtie noodles) but a gluten free version of the pasta doesn't exist (This is not FARFALLE!). As a distant cousin to farfalle I used Sam Mills - Pasta d'oro Gluten Free Lasagne Corte.
Ess gezunterhait! (Eat in good health!)
Kasha Varnishkes
1 cup buckwheat groats
1 egg
1 cup uncooked gluten free noodles
2 cups boiling chicken stock or vegetable stock (make sure to check the label if using store bought)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 quart water
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons canola, corn oil or chicken fat (schmaltz)
1 1/2 large onions, chopped coarsely
In a dutch oven, heat the oil (or schmaltz) on a medium flame and onions and salt. Saute the chopped onions until thoroughly browned.
Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add kasha and stir until every grain is well coated with egg. Place in the dutch oven with onions over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the egg begins to dry and the groats separate. Some of the groats may stick together and/or brown slightly.
Pour boiling chicken stock over the kasha. Mix in salt and pepper and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the kasha has absorbed all liquid. Remove from heat.
In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook the pasta until done. Drain.
Add the noodles to the dutch oven of kasha, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
