Seitan Class

Matthew Woolen is a master pastry chef and has worked in a variety of Seattle restaurants, including gastropub Old Sage, Zhu Dang, and a gluten-free restaurant called Capitol Cider.

Matthew Woolen

So long, store-bought seitan! This wheat meat faux prosciutto is unlike anything you’ll find at the grocery store. Made with simple ingredients, it’s simply amazing—with a mildly “meaty” flavor and a chewy, springy texture that’s strikingly similar to the real deal. Rinsing away the starch from a kneaded wheat dough, instead of using vital wheat gluten and water, yields a seitan that has cleaner, fresh flavors. And since it’s firm yet malleable, seitan can be manipulated to alter its appearance and texture. Here, we marble two doughs—one that’s white and fatty, and one that’s red and flavored with spices and seasonings that mimic cured meats—and shape the combined dough into “hams,” which can then be thinly sliced like deli meat. Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just love a cool cooking challenge, this prosciutto will take center stage on your next charcuterie board and is guaranteed to garner plenty of applause.

Faux-sciutto (Seitan Prosciutto)