Tuna loaf for everyone

Polpettando, Secondi piatti, Video ricette

The mild temperatures and sunny days don’t seem to want to leave us yet – thank goodness, I would say – and even at the table we want to continue enjoying tasty, but fresh food that reminds us of the time on holiday: Tuna loaf is the anwer.

That’s why the recipe we are going to prepare today is exactly what you need: tasty, easy and perfect as a one-course meal accompanied by some fresh vegetables. If you love the combination of tuna and vegetables, have a loot at my Curry rice with tuna and vegetables.

Roll up your sleeves and let’s prepare Tuna loaf together by following the step-by-step video!

Tuna loaf

carbohydrates per 100g negligible

Ingredients

400g canned tuna in oil
50g pitted green olives*
2 egg whites
20g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
20g salted capers
20g anchovy fillets
1/2 grated lemon peel
extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Drain the tuna and put it in a blender or robot with capers, anchovy fillets, olives, Parmesan cheese, egg whites and grated lemon zest. Blend everything together to obtain an even mixture.
Take a sheet of parchment paper, wet and wring it out, then roll it out and pour the tuna mixture over it, forming a cylinder. Wrap it with paper and close the ends with string or metal hooks.
Cook the tuna loaf in a pot of boiling water over low heat for about 45 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
In the meantime, place some olives and parsley in a blender together with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then blend to a coarse sauce.

Slice the meatloaf and serve it with the olive and parsley sauce.

Version with gluten of Tuna loaf

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

September 30, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Traditional Greek recipes: Aubergine Mussakàs

Piatti unici, Primi piatti

The recipe we are sharing today is from the family of a Greek friend, Vassilios, whom I asked to help me give my children a taste of this traditional Greek dish: Aubergine Mussakàs.

Mussakàs can be prepared with aubergines only, or by adding potatoes as well. For carbohydrate reasons, I chose to make it with aubergines only, but given the success of the dish, I think I will also try the mixed version soon.

Of course, we will also share it with you, as well as another recipe with an oriental flavour: Falafel.

The original recipe calls for aubergines to be fried in oil and, in some cases, a little butter. I preferred to grill the aubergines in the oven to make the dish lighter. I also took the liberty of doing the same with the béchamel in terms of both quantity and egg content.

But believe me, the result was very satisfying!

Aubergine Mussakàs

5.5g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

1.5kg aubergines, preferably round
750g minced meat (to taste, mixed is also fine)
500g tomato sauce (or 750g fresh tomatoes in season)
150g Roman pecorino cheese (kefalotyri in Greek), grated
100g onions
100g white wine
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
optional cloves and/or cinnamon, to be added to the minced meat sauce (this is Vassilios’s mother’s secret)

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce

600g milk
60g wholemeal rice flour*
30g butter
2 eggs
5g salt
cinnamon and nutmeg

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation of Aubergine Mussakàs

Put the minced meat in a pan with the onion and fry well with oil. Stir often so that the meat does not create lumps and does not stick; douse with the wine, then add tomato sauce, parsley, salt, pepper and possibly 2-4 cloves and/or ½ cinnamon stick to be removed at the end.
Bring to the boil and simmer for at least 1.5 hours, until the sauce has thickened… almost like a meat sauce.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the aubergines, cut them into thin slices and grill them in the oven at 180°C until cooked.
Prepare the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter, then remove from the heat and add the rice flour to create a creamy mixture; gradually add the milk, continuing to stir with a whisk so that no lumps form, return to the heat adding salt and pepper and stir until the béchamel sauce is thick and almost starts to boil. At this point, remove the pan from the heat and add the already beaten eggs, mixing everything well. Sprinkle half of the grated Pecorino cheese into the meat sauce and mix well.
Now let’s assemble the dish!

Arrange the aubergines in parallel rows in the baking dish and cover them with a layer of minced meat; form a second layer of aubergines and cover them again with a layer of meat.

Finally, finish with a generous amount of béchamel sauce, the remaining cheese and a grating of nutmeg.

Bake the Mussakàs at 180°C for about 40 minutes.

Version with gluten of Aubergine Mussakàs

The recipe given is naturally gluten-free, so no adaptation is needed for the version with gluten.

September 23, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Panna cotta with berries

Dolci, Video ricette

Are you planning a dinner party but still undecided about which dessert to bring to the table? No problem, we took care of it preparing an easy and delicious Panna cotta with berries.

Today we recommend a recipe for a soft dessert that combines the sweetness of cream with the pleasantly tart flavour of berries.
Easy to make and mouth-watering to eat, here’s how to prepare Panna cotta!

You can also watch the video to prepare it step by step with me!

Panna cotta with berries

11.30g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for Panna cotta

400g milk
350g fresh cream
80g sugar
15g gelatine sheets* (corresponding to 3 sheets)
a bit of vanilla from the pod

Ingredients for the berry sauce

390g berries (blackberries, raspberries and blueberries)
20g agave juice*
15g lemon juice

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan, add the sugar and put everything on the heat, stirring occasionally so that the sugar dissolves well.
Separately, soak the gelatine in water to soften it. When the milk is about to come to the boil, remove it from the heat and add the well-drained gelatine, stirring with a whisk.
Let cool and fill moulds of the desired shape, then place them in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the mixture solidifies.

At this point, prepare the berry sauce. You can do this in advance, to save time, or just before serving the cake if you prefer it warm.
Place the berries in a non-stick pan with the lemon juice and agave juice. Let them cook 5 minutes on high heat until they have released their deep red sauce. Wait until it has cooled down
Remove the Panna cotta from the moulds and place it directly on the serving plate, then decorate it with the sauce.

Version with gluten of Panna cotta with berries

The recipe is naturally gluten-free, so no adaptation is needed for the version with gluten.

Would you like another mouth-watering and easy-to-prepare soft dessert? Try Peach pudding with coconut and mint with no added sugar.

September 20, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Spinach meatballs

Polpettando, Secondi piatti

By now you know, our ‘Meatballs and patties’ section is designed to collect many original recipes to prepare the food par excellence that both young and old ones enjoy. Today the proposal is Spinach meatballs.

So, today we propose a perfect version to get children to eat spinach, a vegetable rich in minerals that is often not very popular.

Here are the ingredients for our recipe. And if you want more ideas for meatballs and patties, have fun here!

Spinach meatballs

6.58g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

600g lean minced beef
150g cooked spinach
50g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
30g breadcrumbs**
30g extra virgin olive oil
20g wholemeal rice flour*
1 egg
1 clove garlic
salt, extra virgin olive oil, sage, milk

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation of the Spinach meatballs

Mix the minced meat with the egg, breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan; add salt to taste. Finely chop the spinach and incorporate it into the minced meat mixture.
Form patties of about 5cm in diameter, flour them lightly and place them in a non-stick pan with a little extra virgin olive oil, a clove of garlic and two sage leaves.
Brown them on both sides, then lower the heat, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, adding a little milk and a few tablespoons of water if necessary.
Serve piping hot.

Version with gluten of Spinach patties

Replace gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard breadcrumbs and rice flour with wheat flour.

September 16, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Pinzimonio with sour cream

Antipasti

It is known that vegetables are rich in minerals and are one of those healthy foods that are good for you, but not everyone likes to eat them plain… especially children. Actually, there are many ways to make them more appetising to be enjoyed for a break or even as a tasty aperitif: Pinzimonio with sour cream is an option.

Obviously we do not have to exaggerate with the amount of sour cream, whereas we do not have to worry too much with the amount of fresh vegetables: this is the beauty of Pinzimonio!

And if you are a fan of Pinzimonio, you must find out what my Radimonio is!!!

Pinzimonio with sour cream

negligible carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the sauce

1 packet of sour cream
40g leek
3 stalks of chives
1 clove garlic
extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Pinzimonio

carrots
small courgettes
yellow and red pepper
radishes
boiled potatoes

Preparation of Pinzimonio with sour cream

Slice the leek very thinly and chop it thoroughly. Put a little oil in a pan and pour in the leek and the whole, peeled clove of garlic. Fry the leek, add a drop of water and let it cook very slowly for at least 30 minutes. When the leek is perfectly cooked and soft, let it dry out well on the heat and remove the garlic.
Put the sour cream in a bowl and season it by adding the cooked leek, chopped chives, salt and pepper to taste; mix well and leave to rest.

Prepare the vegetables for the Pinzimonio cut as desired.

4. Serve the vegetables in separate containers and the sour cream in a single bowl in which to dip the vegetables or in individual containers for each diner.

September 13, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Chickpea Farinata

Antipasti, Secondi piatti

You know, we always like to experiment with new and tasty recipes, so today we are proposing a mouth-watering idea to make your dinner even more enjoyable: Chickpea Farinata.

Perfect as an appetiser or main course, they are the solution to give that extra touch to the classic, and always pleasant, Chickpea Farinata.

Try preparing it with us!

Chickpea Farinata

21g carbohydrates per 100g of plain Farinata

Ingredients for Farinata

300g water
150g chickpea flour*
salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the filling

sliced provolone
Dry-cured or cooked ham
lettuce

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Put the chickpea flour in a bowl and pour the water over it slowly, stirring continuously with a whisk so that no lumps form. Let the flour rest for 6-7 hours.
Heat a non-stick pan for crepes with a little extra virgin olive oil. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of chickpea flour batter and cook it until golden brown; turn it over with the help of a spatula and allow it to brown on the second side as well.

Top the Farinata crepes with a layer of lettuce, then cover with slices of Provolone and finally ham. Fold them and serve.

Note: when soaking the chickpea flour, check the proportions indicated on the flour bag: they may vary depending on the chickpea flour used!

Version with gluten of Chickpea Farinata

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

September 6, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli