Gluten and Passover

[Guest guest]

This is from the celiac list, for anyone who is interested -- most of us

don't use packaged products much, but if you are GF Passover products

are kind of handy. Enjoy!

-- Heidi Jean

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PASSOVER IS A CELIAC'S DREAM

1. Your in luck b/c Passover is an amazing thing for celiacs. Basically

everything Kosher for Passover is GF, EXCEPT for anything with matzoh meal.

I know this sounds weird, but there are certain Jewish sects that don't even

eat products made with matzah meal over Passover. So there are tons of

products that are made without any matzah and therefore are GF. These

products are all labeled non-gebrok (meaning no matzah). If you live in an

area where there are a lot of Jews, there may be a Kosher grocery store.

You can find tons of products that are GF, ranging from yogurt to cheese to

salad dressings, etc. All these products are made without any grains and

the vinegars used and foods starches used are all made from potatoes. They

even have amazing (though full of sugar) desserts, made only from potato

starch. A great bakery that makes kosher for Passover desserts and even

states they are GF is called schicks. Their web site is schicksbakery.com.

You should check it out. Passover is a haven for celiacs. Just read labels

and stay away from any products that contain matzah meal.

2. I know a lot of celiacs who pine away for Passover time to stock up on

grain free chocolate chips, margarine, baking powder, etc. I buy all the

chips and such we can have for a year -- my four celiac children like

chocolate chip cookies like everyone else -- and when we run out, we're out.

3. actually, there are lots of gf passover foods. i stock up on some things

at passover for the whole year, since they need to be made without the 4

grains. just check to make sure there is no matza meal. there is even gf

certified oat matza. there's gefilte fish also. just look for the words

" non-gebreucht " and it won't have matza meal. so many things are made with

potato starch instead- even some blintzes. and they are actually good. also

remember that the " u " inside the " o " is not enough. it needs to say " P "

inside the " U " and be " non gebreucht " to not have the matza meal in the

recipe. also lots of desserts are in this category.

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LOOK FOR BAKED GOODS MADE FROM OTHER THINGS

1. Just look for the Kosher for Passover label. Cakes are made from almond

paste or a nut base or potato starch.

2. Also the potato pancake mixes are ok. Potato starch boxes have some

recipes on them (banana bread and sponge cake).

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ALTERNATIVES TO MATZOH (FOR THE SEDER)

I use " Ho-Grain " crackers, made out of rice, as matzah. I make " matzah " brie

(yum!), " matzah " stuffing with mushrooms and onions... I find " Ho-Grain "

crackers at my heath food store...Wild Oats or Whole Foods should have them.

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MANISCHEWITZ HAS A GF LIST

Manischewitz kindly posts a gluten-free product list -- here's the direct

link to that page:

http://www.manischewitz.com/docs/man_150.shtml

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HERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC PRODUCTS BY SPECIFIC COMPANIES

Leibers makes GF matzah ball soup mix.

There are GF potato and vegetable blintzes.

Gefilte fish is a tough one, but, I hear there is a GF one.

There are a ton of prepared baked goods made with potato starch.

There is Gf Matzah! Yes, made in Israel by a Dr. who found a rare strain of

oats and super-refined them to make for his CD daughter. Kosher markets will

know about it. It costs about $18 a box though!

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LOOK FOR NON GEBROKS

" Kedem gefilte fish for Passover " has NO matzah meal...buy Pesach Crumbs by

Paskesz Candy Co (Brooklyn NY) and make the matzah ball recipe from the

side(seltzer is the key)they are very good. Many Kosher food stores have

things without flour or matzah meal (NON GEBROKS), Schicks Kosher for

Passover baked goods for Pesach (from NY #718-436-8020 but sold in our Chgo

area kosher store) are GF and taste like the real thing we used to be able

to eat.(I buy it now and keep them for the year). There are Passover ice

cream cones made by Tovli out of Brooklyn N.Y. which you can then use all

year. We also make our own gluten free Matzoh. Start by making your own

general purpose gluten free flour: 2 parts white rice flour to 2/3 part

potato starch flour to 1/3 part tapioca flour (this flour can be used all

year round for a number of gluten free treats). To make the matzot, mix

approx. 1 part water to 3 parts flour. Ther result should be a " dough " that

feels more like play-do than the familiar elastic feel of real bread dough.

Form the dough into balls roughly the size of golf balls. Place each ball on

a non-stick cooking sheet and roll out to paper thinness. I usually put a

piece of waxed paper over the dough before using the rolling pin to prevent

sticking (you might also have to dust them with a little of the dry flour

mix). The finished product must be quite thin. Poke holes in the flat

sheets. Bake at about 375 degrees until they turn golden brown. Time varies

depending on the thickness of the dough, so you just have to keep an eye on

them. Don't expect them to look like Manishevitz matzot when done. They'll

look more like large, irregular shaped crackers. We take comfort in feeling

this is more like what our ancestors ate than what you buy in the

supermarket. If you're going to attempt to be true to the kosher method of

making these, no more than 18 minutes may elapse from the touch of the water

to putting the matzot in the oven.