Seitan starts as a simple dough made from whole wheat flour and water. The dough is then rested to allow gluten (protein) strands to form, then the starch and bran are washed out, leaving only the thick, meaty protein. The protein can be used as is or dried and ground into a substance called vital wheat gluten, which is available in grocery stores and online. Bakers often add a bit of vital wheat gluten to bread dough to improve the elasticity in the structure of the bread as it rises.
Everyone with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, must completely avoid gluten-containing grains (chiefly wheat, rye, and barley). In addition, some others avoid gluten out of concern for inflammatory reactions, and for this reason, we offer gluten-free alternatives for our recipes. However, gluten can provide a concentrated protein alternative for vegetarians and especially vegans—and Smoke-Dried Tomato Seitan is an especially tasty example!