Spelt Pita

The Low Fodmap diet booklet that I got from the fine folks at Monash University says that spelt is an acceptable grain on the low FODMAP diet.  A slice or two of spelt bread is okay.  Spelt is a variety of wheat that is not only low in FODMAPs but also low gluten.  It is not gluten free.  This is my first experiment in baking with spelt flour and it was a success.  I served these with some olive oil and dukkah, and the zucchini hummus!

If you don’t have a pizza stone, try using a heavy baking sheet.

Makes 4 small pita

1 3/4 cups wholegrain spelt flour, divided
1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the water and sugar in a medium bowl, stir to dissolve. Add the yeast and let it proof for 10-15 minutes.  Vigorously stir in 1/4 cup of the spelt flour.  Stir until you have a smooth batter.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for approximately 30 minutes or until doubled in size.  You should have a nice frothy sponge. Add the salt and the remaining flour.  Stir until you have a shaggy dough and then knead by hand for a few minutes.  Divide the dough into 4 equal balls.  Put them back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise another 30-45 minutes, until doubled.

Put a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 475F (convection oven). When the oven is very hot and the dough has doubled, flatten the balls out into circles about 5 or 6 inches across.  I used a plastic wrap lined tortilla press which worked quite well. Working quickly, open the oven and slide out the rack with the stone.  Drop the rounds of dough onto the hot stone and close the oven.  Bake the pitas 3 – 5 minutes until they have puffed up a bit in the center.  Flip them over and bake another minute or two more.  Remove them to a wire rack to cool. Try not to eat them all at once.

Easy Dukkah

Dukkah is a Middle Eastern dry condiment composed of spices and nuts.  It can be used to coat chicken or salmon.  It can also be served with pita bread.  Dip the bread in olive oil and then in the dukkah.

I’ve seen some recipes that use pistachios.  You’ll want to avoid those since pistachios are high in FODMAPs.  My supermarket had bags of already toasted and chopped hazelnuts and jars of already toasted sesame seeds which makes this recipe ridiculously quick and easy.

1 6 oz bag chopped hazelnuts
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons cumin seeds

Combine the hazelnuts and salt in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until it reaches the texture of course meal.  Put in a bowl and add the sesame seeds and pepper.  In a skillet, lightly toast the remaining seeds.  When toasted and cooled, pulse 10 times in the food processor and then add it to the bowl of hazelnuts.  Combine thoroughly.

Green No-Bean Hummus

I have been on a continuing quest to find a delicious low FODMAP hummus recipe. Earlier, I had found one made with sweet potatoes; I liked the flavor but was not enamored of the texture. Also, sweet potatoes should only be eaten in limited amounts on a low FODMAP diet. Recently, I spotted a recipe that used raw zucchini and thought that might work well.  I just whipped this up and it is pretty tasty.  I bet it will be even better after it sits in the fridge for an hour or two.  I used roasted sesame tahini because I really like the depth of flavor. If you can’t find the roasted variety, regular tahini will work just as well.

1 8 oz zucchini, chopped
chopped greens from two scallions
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini
1 tablespoon garlic oil

pine nuts and smoked paprika to top

Combine first 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor and  puree.  Empty into a shallow bowl and sprinkle smoked paprika and pine nuts over the top to serve.