Chapter 14
In This Chapter
Perfecting gluten-free pizza
Enjoying pasta after all
Baking different breads
Recipes in This Chapter
Asparagus and Artichoke Pizza with Pesto Sauce
Lola Workman’s Ham and Mushroom Pizza
Zucchini and Eggplant Pizza
Mediterranean Pizza
Tomato Herb Pizza Sauce
Alfredo Sauce
Penne with Pea Sauce
Macaroni Bake
Quick Zucchini and Ricotta Pasta
Broccoli and Ricotta Penne
Quick Bread
Great Gluten-free Bread
Favourite White Bread
Besan (Chickpea) Bread
B eing gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to give up pizza and pasta and live on rice cakes for the rest of your life. With a little effort you can make really great pizzas, and gluten-free bread just gets better and better all the time.
We’ve included a range of recipes, from basic to more complex, including ideas for pizza toppings. We even have a very quick and easy bread recipe for the harried and hurried cook.
When you first describe the gluten-free diet to people, they often react with emotion somewhere between disdain and horror. And while you’re hastening to tell them the good side of the story, they interrupt, unable to hide the shock in their voices: ‘You mean you can’t eat pizza?’
The good news is that you can eat pizza. Maybe not always of the fast-food variety, but gluten-free pizza is delicious nonetheless. And you don’t have to tip the delivery guy anymore.
The secret of a good pizza isn’t just in the sauce or even the toppings. No matter how delicious your sauce or toppings, they can’t disguise a base that’s soggy, seriously stodgy or dry as a front lawn in the drought. No, the secret to any great pizza is undeniably in the crusty base.
While our Real Cooks aren’t listening, we’ll let you in on a secret. Your two authors usually use mixes or pre-made pizza bases because these days they’re so good that it hardly seems worth the extra effort to start from scratch. But this is the recipe section of the book, and our editors claim that simply saying ‘take pre-made pizza base out of package’ isn’t good enough. So we’re including some pizza base recipes, not just to keep them happy, but also so you can have the choice — and enormous satisfaction — of making your entire pizza yourself if you want to. Homemade always, always tastes better, so if you have the time, go for it. You’ll have a ball with your fingers in the dough, and your family and friends will love you for it.
Asparagus and Artichoke Pizza with Pesto Sauce
This recipe creates a green-looking pizza, which looks great alongside one topped with tomato. It also makes a great change from the tomato flavour.
Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cooking Time: 20 minutes • Servings: Enough for one 30-cm pizza
Ingredients
1 cup fresh asparagus tips
⅓ cup basil pesto
30 cm gluten-free pizza base
⅓ cup olives, pitted and sliced
½ cup artichokes sliced
100 g (½ cup) mozzarella cheese, grated
Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 210°C.
2 Wash asparagus tips and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain.
3 Spread a thin layer of basil pesto over your pizza base and top with asparagus tips, olives, sliced artichokes and mozzarella cheese.
4 Bake until the base is cooked and cheese is bubbly (10 to 15 minutes).
Per serving (100 g): Kilojoules 5,349; Fat 60.5 g (Saturated 16.5 g); Sodium 3129 mg; Carbohydrate 116.5 g (Dietary Fibre 19.3 g); Protein 53.4 g.
Lola Workman’s Ham and Mushroom Pizza
This delicious, traditional pizza doesn’t need yeast.
Prep time: 25 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes • Servings: 2 small or 1 medium pizza
Ingredients
Pizza topping (see the following recipe)
65 ml (¼ cup) hot water
65 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
1 egg
50 g (¼ cup) besan (chickpea flour)
100 g (½ cup) potato flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
100 g (½ cup) mashed potato
Directions
1 Grease the sides of two 20-cm sandwich pans (or a pizza tray) and line the bottom of each pan with baking paper.
2 Preheat oven to 200°C degrees.
3 Place hot water, oil and lightly whisked egg into a bowl and sift in the combined flours, salt, bicarbonate soda and baking powder.
4 Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture for about 1 minute and add the mashed potato.
5 Pour into the prepared pans and let stand for 10 minutes.
6 Top the pizza base with the chopped ham and grated cheese, garnish with olives and capsicum and cook for about 10 minutes or until the pizza is firm.
Pizza Topping
250 g (1 cup) mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
100 g (½ cup) chopped gluten-free ham
100 g (½ cup) grated mozzarella cheese
Olives and capsicum to garnish
1 To make the topping, sauté mushrooms in butter until soft and arrange on top of the batter.
Per serving (small pizza): Kilojoules 3,893; Fat 55.8 g (Saturated 19.6 g); Sodium 2,145 mg; Carbohydrate 65.9 g (Dietary Fibre 10 g); Protein 40 g.
Zucchini and Eggplant Pizza
Grilled vegetables get together with two cheeses for this delicious pizza.
Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes • Servings: 6 slices
Ingredients
1 medium pizza base, cooked
1 medium eggplant, sliced thinly
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 green or red capsicum, seeded and sliced thickly
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Approx. 70 g pizza sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
100 g (½ cup) fetta cheese
100 g (½ cup) grated mozzarella cheese
Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2 Brush the eggplant, zucchini and capsicum slices with vegetable oil and cook under grill, turning once, until lightly browned.
3 Spread pizza sauce over pizza base and sprinkle with basil. Add crumbled fetta and grilled vegetables. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
4 Bake until base is golden and cheese is bubbly (10 to 15 minutes).
Per serving: Kilojoules 1,528; Fat 18.8 g (Saturated 8.4 g); Sodium 368 mg; Carbohydrate 38.1 g (Dietary Fibre 4.3 g); Protein 10.5 g.
Mediterranean Pizza
You’ll love this twist on a family favourite. Try it this way the first time, and then make up your own variation the next. Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made of yoghurt, garlic and cucumber. Make sure the brand you buy is gluten-free.
Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 35 minutes • Servings: 6 (2 large pizzas)
Ingredients
Pizza topping (see the following recipe)
500 g gluten-free bread mix
7 g dried yeast
3 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
Salt and black pepper, to taste
200 ml warm milk
200 ml warm water
50 g (¼ cup) butter, melted
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Prepare 2 large pizza trays by lining with baking paper.
2 Place bread mix, yeast, herbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add warm milk, warm water and melted butter. Using an electric mixer, beat for 3 minutes.
3 Spread dough evenly over prepared pizza trays and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Pizza Topping
½ cup tomato purée
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
¾ cup Kalamata olives
500 g lamb fillets, pan fried and cut lengthwise
250 g (1 cup) cubed fetta cheese
2 tablespoons capers, for garnish
½ cup tzatziki dip, for serving
1 Spread pizza bases with tomato purée, top with onion, olives, lamb and fetta cheese.
2 Return pizza to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until toppings are warmed through and cheese melts. Garnish with capers and drizzle with tzatziki.
Tip: Cooked pizza bases may be frozen and thawed before toppings are added.
Per serving: Kilojoules 2,811; Fat 26.6 g (Saturated 14.4 g); Sodium 935 mg; Carbohydrate 77. 6 g (Dietary Fibre 6.2 g); Protein 30.1 g.
The good news here is that just about any commercial pizza sauce is gluten-free (of course, you still need to check the ingredients to be sure). Second, pizza sauce can be as simple as a little brushed-on olive oil, or you can go to town with your own creations. You might like to try these.
Tomato Herb Pizza Sauce
Traditionalists lean towards this type of sauce, because, well, it’s traditional.
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Servings: Enough for one 30 cm pizza
Ingredients
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped or diced tomatoes (including the juice)
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Directions
1 In a medium saucepan, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium–high heat until they’re tender (about 3 minutes).
2 Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to the pan and continue cooking the sauce over medium heat for a few more minutes.
3 Stir in the tomato paste. Simmer the sauce on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Per serving: Kilojoules 201; Fat 4 g (Saturated 1g); Sodium 154 mg; Carbohydrate 4 g (Dietary Fibre 1 g); Protein 1 g.
Alfredo Sauce
This sauce is very rich and wicked and goes well with seafood. As it already contains a lot of cheese, you won’t need as much cheese on the top of the pizza. (You can also use it on pasta.)
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 10 minutes • Servings: Enough for one 30 cm pizza
Ingredients
3 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup butter
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1 Sauté the garlic in the butter in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly.
2 Stir in the parmesan, cream, salt and pepper and cook gently for 5 minutes. Cool slightly before spreading on a pizza base.
Per serving (100 g): Kilojoules 2,071; Fat 47.9 g (Saturated 31.2 g); Sodium 768 mg; Carbohydrate 1.5 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 15.9 g.
Complaining bitterly about gluten-free pastas was once completely understandable. They used to be gritty, heavy on the (insert flour here) flavour and they went from being al dente to al mush in a millisecond.
But gluten-free pasta has come a long way, baby. You now have no grounds for feeling deprived, with the improved taste, texture, nutritional value and cookability of today’s gluten-free pastas. If you thought pasta was off the menu, or you’ve stopped eating it because the old pastas weren’t very appetising, the recipes in this section get you back on the pasta track.
Penne with Pea Sauce
If you have a packet of peas in the freezer, pasta in the pantry and an onion, you’re already on the way with this dish. On the way home, pick up some fetta, a chunk of parmesan and a bunch of fresh mint and you’ve got dinner! This is so good you’ll make it over and over again.
Prep time: 5 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes • Servings: 4
Ingredients
350 g (1½ cups) gluten-free penne or other short pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500 g (2 cups) frozen peas
125 g (½ cup) water, approx.
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
150 g (⅔ cup) fetta cheese
Grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Directions
1 Cook pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions.
2 Heat a wide pan with a lid; add oil and onion and sauté until tender.
3 Add frozen peas (no need to defrost) and water. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until thawed.
4 With a fork or potato masher, coarsely crush peas to make a rough sauce. Add a bit more water if necessary. Add mint leaves, salt and pepper if needed. Cover and simmer a further 2 to 3 minutes.
5 When pasta is cooked, drain and add to pea sauce. Stir through crumbled fetta.
6 Serve in bowls and pass the parmesan.
Per serving: Kilojoules 2,572; Fat 21.8 g (Saturated 8.6 g); Sodium 529 mg; Carbohydrate 78.4 g (Dietary Fibre 11.9 g); Protein 23.4 g.
Macaroni Bake
A young mother, desperate to find gluten-free recipes to suit her picky toddler, recommended this recipe that didn’t end up on the floor like all the other attempts. It soon became a family favourite.
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 40 minutes • Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 cups gluten-free spiral or macaroni pasta, uncooked
4 rashers gluten-free bacon, chopped
440 g can gluten-free condensed tomato soup
375 ml (1½ cups) milk
100 g (1 cup) grated tasty cheese, plus extra for topping
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 150° C. Grease a medium casserole dish.
2 Cook pasta until al dente. Drain.
3 While pasta is cooking, sauté bacon or cook in the microwave between two pieces of paper towel for 1 minute and drain.
4 In the greased casserole dish combine cooked and drained pasta and bacon with tomato soup, milk and cheese.
5 Top with extra cheese, if desired, and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Per serving: Kilojoules 3,170; Fat 34.9 g (Saturated 17.6 g); Sodium 1,645 mg; Carbohydrate 82.2 g (Dietary Fibre 6.1 g); Protein 29.6 g.
Quick Zucchini and Ricotta Pasta
It doesn’t get much quicker than this. Lemon and zucchini were made for each other! The chilli gives this recipe a kick, but if you don’t like spicy food, just leave it out.
Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Servings: 2
Ingredients
300 g gluten-free spaghetti
60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small red chilli finely chopped (optional)
Rind of 1 lemon, finely grated
2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
150 g (⅔ cup) ricotta cheese
60 g (¼ cup) grated parmesan cheese
30 g butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1 Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
2 When the spaghetti is nearly cooked heat a large frying pan and add olive oil.
3 Over medium heat sauté garlic, chilli, lemon rind and zucchini; cook for 1 minute.
4 Drain cooked spaghetti and toss into zucchini mixture; add half the ricotta and half the parmesan. Add the butter. Mix together and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5 Divide into servings. Crumble remaining ricotta on top and sprinkle with parmesan.
Per serving: Kilojoules 4,736; Fat 59.5 g (Saturated 23.8 g); Sodium 690 mg; Carbohydrate 113.7 g (Dietary Fibre 5.4 g); Protein 30.5 g.
Broccoli and Ricotta Penne
Broccoli is extra specially good for you and has a long growing season; the other ingredients are easy to pick up or keep on hand. This recipe is quick, easy and very delicious. If you hate parsley — and those who do, hate it with venom — you could try chopped fresh basil or other herbs instead.
Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Servings: 6
Ingredients
500 g (2 cups) gluten-free penne
750 g (3 cups) broccoli florets
5 garlic cloves, crushed
250 g (1 cup) low-fat ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1 Cook penne according to package instructions.
2 Drop broccoli into boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and drain well; keep warm.
3 In a small bowl combine crushed garlic, ricotta, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper.
4 Drain penne, first stirring 2 tablespoons of the cooking water into the ricotta mixture.
5 Place penne in a large serving bowl, add ricotta mixture and cooked broccoli and toss well.
Per serving: Kilojoules 1,848; Fat 11.3 g (Saturated 3.6 g); Sodium 147 mg; Carbohydrate 65.6 g (Dietary Fibre 9.7 g); Protein 17.1 g.
Gluten-free bread has a reputation. And for years, it was well deserved. But if any food deserves to win the prize for ‘most improved’ in the gluten-free world, it’s definitely bread. In the past, many coeliacs simply gave up on bread and lived on other staples, relying on rice cakes when a sandwich was needed. But thanks to some dedicated bakers and cooks, we can now make — and enjoy — bread again.
Best of all, expert cooks have done an incredible job of combining interesting, alternative flours that not only improve the flavour and texture but also add nutrients as well. Now that gluten-free bread actually tastes good, it’s superior in many ways to that gummy white ‘enriched’ gluten-containing stuff that has more chemicals than a high school chemistry lab. Okay, okay, we do have a way to go, but you must admit that the bread we can now make is better than limp and soggy — or wildly explosive — rice cakes and definitely more filling.
We’ve included a variety of bread recipes here, some to bake in the oven, some for a bread machine and a real quickie for the frying pan. For some bread-making tips and tricks, refer to Chapter 9.
Of course, if you’d rather not have to buy and measure all the recipe ingredients that go into bread, no probs. Many excellent bread mixes are available. Just toss a mix in your bread machine, add a few ingredients and turn it on.
Quick Bread
You want bread, but have none in the house and no time to bake. Or you just don’t want to go to the trouble. This recipe fits the bill pretty well. It’s good for serving hot with soup, for chunky sandwiches or making your own focaccias. It makes very good toast. Eat it within two days of baking because it can go mouldy quickly, or slice and pop it in the freezer. You can use an electric frypan, a frying pan with a lid, or a frying pan with a makeshift lid from a cake tin or tray that fits neatly over the top of the frying pan.
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 25–30 minutes • Servings: 6
Ingredients
150 g brown or white rice flour
50 g (⅓cup) besan or soy flour
1½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
250 ml (1 cup) milk
Directions
1 Grease a 20 cm non-stick frying pan and preheat on lowest heat.
2 In a medium mixing bowl sift together rice flour, besan or soy flour, baking powder and salt.
3 Beat together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir until well combined.
4 Pour mixture into preheated frying pan and spread evenly over the base.
5 Cover with a well-fitting lid and cook until the top of the bread is dry to the touch. On lowest heat this will take about 20 minutes.
6 Using two spatulas, turn the bread over and continue to cook, without a lid, for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Cool on a wire cake rack.
Vary It! To make a more interesting version, try adding ⅓ cup chopped fried shallots and some chopped basil or dried herbs as you add the eggs and milk. To turn this into crunchy garlic bread, make garlic butter from ½ cup butter or margarine, 2 cloves of garlic and chopped parsley, spread on the sliced quickbread and put in the oven for 5 minutes, or pop quickly under the grill.
Per serving: Kilojoules 645; Fat 3.2 g (Saturated 1.5 g); Sodium 133 mg; Carbohydrate 23.8 g (Dietary Fibre 1.8 g); Protein 8.2 g.
Great Gluten-free Bread
This bread is baked in a conventional oven and turns out perfectly every time. LSA mix can be purchased at health food shops and some supermarkets. Weigh your flours if you can, as even commercial cup sizes vary.
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour rising time • Cooking time: 50–60 minutes • Servings: Makes 16 slices
Ingredients
135 g (⅔ cup) white rice flour
100 g (⅔ cup) arrowroot
100 g (⅔ cup) maize cornflour
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon unflavoured gelatine
1 teaspoon powdered egg replacer
½ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons sugar
¼ cup dry milk powder or almond meal
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon LSA (ground linseed, sunflower and almond) (optional)
1 egg plus 1 egg white
3 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
250 ml (1 cup) very warm water, approx.
Directions
1 Grease a medium loaf tin.
2 In the mixing bowl of your electric mixer combine the rice flour, arrowroot, cornflour, xanthan gum, gelatine, egg replacer, salt, sugar, milk powder, yeast and LSA, if using.
3 Add the egg and egg white, oil, vinegar and honey.
4 Add less than the full amount of warm water to begin and start mixing with the electric mixer. Add enough water to make the batter look like cake mixture. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
5 Spoon into prepared loaf tin. Cover with a loose plastic bag and set in a warm place until it has risen almost to the top of the tin (about 1 hour).
6 Preheat oven to 200°C. Carefully remove from plastic bag and place into preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, and then cover with foil. Bake 50 to 60 minutes in total.
7 Let bread rest in the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then turn out of tin onto rack to cool. Slice when cool.
Tip: For a more nutritious and satisfying version of this bread, replace the cornflour with ⅔ cup quinoa flour.
Per serving (slice): Kilojoules 562; Fat 4.8 g (Saturated <1 g); Sodium 98 mg; Carbohydrate 21 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 2.3 g.
You can make the recipes in this section in a bread machine or a conventional oven. The steps for each process are the same for both breads.
Follow these steps for using a bread machine:
Follow these steps for baking in your regular oven:
The appearance of the dough as it’s being mixed should be stiffer than a cake batter, but not as stiff as biscuit dough. Flours will vary in their ability to absorb moisture. If the dough appears too dry, add liquid, one tablespoon at a time to achieve the desired result.
To test if the bread is ready, use a toothpick. When inserted into the loaf, it should come out clean.
Favourite White Bread
Try this recipe for a light, easy-to-manage loaf. Measuring cup sizes vary, so weigh the flour if you can.
Prep time: 35 minutes • Rising and cooking time: 2 hours • Servings: 12–14 slices
Dry ingredients
200 g (1½ cups) white rice flour
60 g (½ cup) potato flour
60 g (½ cup) arrowroot or tapioca flour
40 g (⅓ cup) maize cornflour
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
3 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon egg replacer (optional)
⅔ cup milk powder
2¼ teaspoons dry yeast
Directions
For breadmaker:
1 Follow instructions for your breadmaker, adding first wet ingredients then dry unless otherwise instructed. Bake as directed for your model of breadmaker.
For oven-baked bread:
1 Combine all dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl.
2 In a smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients, whisking thoroughly, then add to dry ingredients.
3 Using an electric mixer, beat for 10 minutes. If mixture appears too stiff add a little more water, 1 teaspoonful at a time.
4 Place in greased bread pan, cover with a cloth and allow to rise for one hour.
5 Bake at 180°C for 45 to 60 minutes. Test with a fine skewer or toothpick. When cooked, skewer should come out clean.
6 Remove from tin and cool on metal rack before slicing.
Wet ingredients
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
60 ml (¼ cup) canola oil
375 ml (1½ cups) water
Per serving (loaf): Kilojoules 11,181; Fat 101 g (Saturated 23.4 g); Sodium 4,489 mg; Carbohydrate 382.2 g (Dietary Fibre 21.9 g); Protein 64.4 g.
Besan (Chickpea) Bread
Besan flour has an interesting flavour and is great for a change. It’s also high in fibre. Tapioca flour will give you a nice, ‘chewy’ texture.
Prep time: 40 minutes • Cooking time: 2 hours • Servings: 12–14 slices
Dry ingredients
200 g (1 cup) besan flour
200 g (1 cup) brown rice flour
200 g (1 cup) arrowroot or tapioca flour
100 g (½ cup) maize cornflour
4 teaspoons xanthan gum
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon egg replacer, optional
½ cup milk powder
2¼ teaspoons dry yeast
Directions
For breadmaker:
1 Follow instructions for your breadmaker, adding first wet ingredients then dry unless otherwise instructed. Bake as directed for your model of breadmaker.
For oven-baked bread:
1 Combine all dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl.
2 In a smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients, whisking thoroughly, then add to dry ingredients.
3 Using an electric mixer, beat for 10 minutes. If mixture appears too stiff add a little more water, 1 teaspoonful at a time.
4 Place in greased bread pan, cover with a cloth and allow to rise for one hour.
5 Bake at 180°C for 45 to 60 minutes. Test with a fine skewer or toothpick. When cooked, skewer should come out clean.
6 Remove from tin and cool on metal rack before slicing.
Wet ingredients
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
335 ml (1⅓ cups) water
Per serving (loaf): Kilojoules 15,436; Fat 101.9 g (Saturated 36.8 g); Sodium 4,505 mg; Carbohydrate 591.1 g (Dietary Fibre 35.1 g); Protein 99.4 g.
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