A Week of Wonton

Wonton wrappers. Did you know that wonton wrappers have become the catalyst for foods from appetizers to desserts? And for cuisines from around the globe? If only I could have wonton wrappers! A gluten free, egg free wonton wrapper could open up so many possibilities!

If you go to an Asian market you will discover wonton wrappers can actually come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses. They can be square or round. And in rectangles they can be used for egg rolls!

The thicker wrappers work for frying, while the thinner ones are best for steaming or dumplings. For this reason, it is best to know what you are doing with the wrappers before you begin making them. So what can you make?

Imagine gluten free, egg free ravioli with endless filling possibilities! Ricotta, sure, but what about a spinach or kale ricotta? Or a butternut squash ravioli? Or feta? That crazy frivolous expensive lobster or crab ravioli may be yours, but not mine thank you anyway. But how about any kind of meat mixture you can imagine? Pork sausage ravioli? Buffalo chicken? Pulled pork?

Of course all of the above fillings could be equally awesome in a folded, sealed and baked (or fried) wonton. Easy pierogi? Simple hand pies?

Then there are the cute little wonton cups. I love this one, my sausage wonton cups. You can actually fill these little things with any kind of meaty cheesy mixture.(or you can skip the cheese if you prefer) Or maybe you want to fill them with a version of warm artichoke dip, or sauteed onions topped with mozzarella? Or maybe you just want a little vessel to carry some salad to you mouth, we don't need a fork with these. I love the idea of shredded lettuce, little chunks of feta, and slivers of mango riding up for a bite in one of these beauties. Or, dare I suggest little mini quiches? (apologies to those avoiding eggs, I can't have them either)

Or, instead of a cup, how about a wrap or a roll? Do you think you would like wrapping up a stick of mozzarella and making yourself a mozzarella stick? A pizza roll? Or maybe mini cannelloni? Or just a simple, traditional egg roll. Then you could also bend these guys into a taco shape and have little mini tacos!

Once you've finished off these savory wontons it's time to move on to those sweet tasting dessert wontons. How about some mini apple pies? Or a baked blueberry treat? Can you see then oozing with marshmallow and melted chocolate s'mores style? How about those little wonton cups filled up like a baby cannoli cup? Why shouldn't people with allergies have fun too?

Of course, don't forget the simplicity of a baked cracker made from wontons. And you can flavor them with any number of spices sprinkled or brushed on with olive oil just before baking. These would be great for dipping in hummus or spreading with your favorite spread. We don't need any stinking pita chips, we have wonton!

Have I blown your mind yet? Really, the only limit to these is your imagination...and that can easily be fixed with a quick google search.

The dough for these actually goes together really quickly, and then it needs to rest for at least 30 minutes, though an hour would be best. The dough also rolls out pretty easily, but I would be lying if I told you these are not labor intensive. Rolled thinly, the recipe will make 72 wonton wrappers. My first time I cut the dough into 72 pieces and rolled them out separately.  It took about 2 hours to do this my first time through - And that was before I did anything with them! so be prepared to spend some time on these, at least until you have done it a few times. But once you master them...oh the possibilities!

These can be stored in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a few months, so making the dough ahead of time will give you an easy grab and make for a quick meal, appetizer, or dish to pass at that party where you have limited options (just be sure to hold some back for yourself because they tend to evaporate).

On the flip side, don't expect anything you make with these to last even half as long as it took to make them. They go quickly, no matter what you decide to make.

For best results:
The superfine flours, extra finely ground flaxseed meal and the tapioca starch are absolutely required to get these to work for you. As always, you can substitute a real egg for the flax egg if you are not working with an egg allergy.

Silicone, silicone, silicone... I use a silicone rolling pin on a silicone mat with a silicone spatula. You still need to continue to dust liberally to prevent sticking but this is by far the best method I have found, especially when you are rolling dough very thin.



35 g (5 TBSP) tapioca starch + 5 TBSP water

1 flax egg BEATEN (1TBSP ground flax + 3 TBSP water)

64 g superfine white rice flour
65 g tapioca starch
112 g superfine brown rice flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c extra finely ground flaxseed

5 TBSP water + more if needed

mix 35 g tapioca starch with 5 TBSP water in a small bowl

in a separate small bowl, mix flax egg and let sit

weigh and combine white rice, tapioca, brown rice, salt and ground flaxseed
whisk together dry ingredients
make a well in the center

beat the flax egg, and then drop into the center of the well

mix the tapioca starch and water-it will be stiff with all the starch on the bottom of the bowl and pour into the well before it separates again

add 5 TBSP of water to the well

mix the dry ingredients as well as you can with a spoon/spatula
then continue mixing with your hands, kneading the dough to incorporate all the dry mix
you may need to add more water - one teaspoon at a time - to incorporate all the dry ingredients

place the dough onto a surface dusted with tapioca flour

continue to knead until the dough is the consistency of a stiff playdoh

if the dough is too dry you can add more water if necessary, kneading it in
if the dough is sticky, continue to dust the surface with more tapioca flour as you knead, until you reach the right consistency

if the dough starts forming into thin sheets within the ball, stop kneading

cut the dough in half and form each piece into the shape of a brick

wrap the dough in a damp tea towel and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes

After at least 30 minutes, remove one brick and cut it into quarters

Return 3 pieces to the damp tea towel (if you do not want to make 72 wrappers at this time, the bricks can be frozen for future use)

For 72 thin wonton wrappers- these are best for any wonton 'cups' like my sausage wontons, my crackers, or my mini apple turnovers

working with 1/4 of a brick at a time, roll into a 9 x 9 inch square

make two cuts horizontally to cut into 3 equal sized strips

then make two cuts vertically to cut the strips into 9 equal sized pieces

you can also make rounds with a 3 inch round biscuit / cookie cutter

Alternately:
If you have difficulty getting the dough thin enough to roll to 9 x 9 inch square

cut into the 9 squares and then continue rolling each piece until it measures approximately
3  x 3 inches square

if you are making 'cups' you can gently fold these directly into the cups as you go, be careful as they may tear when handled

OR

dust liberally with tapioca starch and stack, cover with a wet tea towel until you are ready to use or store- don't let them dry out!

repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough

cut second brick into quarters and repeat with each quarter