Tula: Gluten Free Bakery and Cafe

I was so happy to find Tula on a recent trip to Portland, Oregon. This bakery and cafe is 100% gluten free and I am happy to report that the 5 items I was able to try were absolutely delicious. 

If you don't have the appetite to try out more than one or two items on this great menu - be sure to try these two out! Check out the pictures below.

{Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie}

{Roasted tomato, pesto and arugula panini}

These two items are so memorable that I will be using them as my inspiration for next weeks baking project - please stay tuned! Also I will mail a batch of cookies to the next 3 people that comments on any of my posts! Thanks.

Lasanga

{I have a handful of friends that happen to be amazing cooks. This week my dear friend Zack Martin made us some Gluten Free Lasagna! It was delicious especially since I was not a fan of lasagna before having tried his recipe. It was so good that I asked him to be a guest blogger this week. Story and recipe are below, enjoy!!}

Gluten-Free Lasagna 

I'm a picky eater and despise a common ingredient crappy chefs over-use to mask their piss-poor cooking: ONIONS.  Red-eyed and addicted to the food network I began improving traditional classic by removing/replacing the aforementioned tear jerking bulbs.  I learned that if you use good ingredients, put in some patience and care, no on ingredient is necessary.  Nancy, though she loves onions, has always been remarkably considerate to remove them when cooking for me.  My limitations are a spoiled preference; however, her dietary restrictions are medical.  I set out to cook her some gluten packed favorites in a gluten-free form.  This is cooking for my gluttonous glu-tard friends life.

History of Lasagna

According to wikipedia, the Italian's stole this dish from the Greeks. The name Lasagna is either derived from their f'd up word for pasta or pot (who cares).  They claim it was invented around ~1500, but I feel like it was stolen from the Chinese.  Since then many cultures get drunk, start throwing stuff in a dish, and pretend they made something new.  Later, in Mexico, Juan Picante got hammered on tequilla and dreamed up Sombrero Lasagna. He replaced pasta with tortillas, mozzarella with cheddar, used some left over rolled taco meat, and smothered it in a suicide mixture of hot sauce: Enchiladas were born.  Next, some redneck got messed up on American piss beer, wondered out of their local K-mart set out to make confederate flag lasagna.  They tossed in gross frozen green beans, some ground up mystery meet, used the favorite Campbells cream soup, and covered it up with crap-tastic funions (fake onions): Enter Casserole.  Last night I drank a coors light, sipped some tequilla, swirled some pinot, and set out to make the next version of this classic... the onion-less, gluten-free lasagna.       

Glu-Tard Lasagna: 

Pasta (Below)

Sauce (Again, Below)

Ricotta (Pesto Recipe is... guess? Below)

Basil 

Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella

Directions: You're stacking sauce, noodles, and cheese... this isn't rocket surgery. 

- Put a layer of sauce, cover 100% edge to edge with gluten free pasta

- Spread Ricotta over pasta and make it even and flat so the next payer of pasta will lay flat

- Do a big layer of sauce, sprinkle another big layer of parmesan on top

- Slice Mozzarella and spread evenly, then roll a couple basil leaves and cut... you should get cool ribbons... 

- Cook at ~350 degrees for 30mins, then broil for the last 10 to get a good browned top

- Let it rest for a minum of 10 minutes before serving so it can set back up.   

BONUS: Crispy Prosciutto topping... get the good stuff (Parma), lay flat in a toaster over and give it a fast toast...crumble it on top.    

{Pasta: Don't believe the label, this stuff kinda sucks... but we will make due.  Another alternative may be large slices of Eggplant. After my second attempt... here is what I've learned with this style of faux pasta}

- Bring a large pot of water to a boil

- Add enough sea salt so it tastes like the ocean.  Then put in olive oil so it doesn't stick together.  Reduce to light boil/simmer as it will fall apart

- Whatever the time says on the box, subtract 2-4min.  The goo i used said 8 min, I cooked it for 4min as this stuff will turn to mush easily... you just want it malleable

- Don't cool on a rack... made for a cool picture, but it was a stupid experiment (noodles slide off into sink).  Move quickly to strains water, then separate as fast as you can by laying large strips on paper towels, don't burn yourself.  Let them cool

- Sprinkle light olive oil on top. 

Meat Sauce: I make my own to avoid onions... you can easily brown meat and add your favorite Jar.  Take into consideration this is the bulk of your flavor.

Two Cans Tomato Sauce

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Teaspoon Fennel Seed

1 Teaspoon Chopped Hot Peppers (Neon Yellow in fermented jar)

Chili Flakes (a pinch will do - more if you like it spicy)

Fresh Basil (1/4 cup chopped, fresh)

1 Tablespoon Thyme 

Prepared Italian Sausage 

1/2 lb veal

Sea Salt & Pepper

Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Celery Salt

Directions: I don't have time to stew tomatoes (yet amazing) so i used organic canned tomato sauce  

- Brown Veal with salt, pepper, and a little bit of olive oil on high heat

- Remove meat and drain some of the fat, on low heat put an super thin layer of olive oil in the pan and brown (don't burn) the garlic and fennel seeds, try to scrape the brown'd meat from the bottom

- Chop the sausage as small as you can get it, add that back in the pan with veal... brown for no longer than 2 min as you don't want to burn the garlic

 - Add in Sauce, remaining spices, finely chopped fresh basil (maybe 1 or 2 leaves) and do a swirl of olive oil.  Cook on low to medium heat so it simmers but doesn't boil so flavors mix together for 5-10mins than let it rest/cool

Remember, its going to cook in the oven so don't over cook your meat here. 

Pesto Ricotta: Make your own pesto.  It takes 2 minutes and tastes 50x better.  If you don't have 2 minutes, get the jar crap.    

Small Tub Ricotta Cheese

2 eggs

Basil (2-3 handfuls)

Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

More Garlic (2-3 cloves)

Pine Nuts (optional)

Fresh Parmesan (1 cup grated)

Directions: 

- Pesto - In a food processor add 2-3 handfuls of basil (5 if you have mini carni hands you freak), olive oil, garlic cloves, cup of Parmesan, pine nuts and blend.  That is it.  Taste and adjust. 

- Mix pesto with ricotta, eggs, and another cup of Parmesan... it should have the consistency of puddy