Lombardy – Mamma Giovanna’s Gluten-free Bread Cake

Giro d’Italia in 20 recipes

Mamma Giovanna’s Gluten-free Bread Cake

Some recipes are not “just” desserts. They are family photographs, inherited gestures, silent comforts that come back to life the moment a familiar scent fills the kitchen.

For the Lombardy stage of my Giro d’Italia in 20 Recipes, I asked my friend Simonetta which recipe she has missed the most since being diagnosed with coeliac disease. With palpable emotion, Simonetta told me about her recipe of the heart: Bread Cake, the cake her mum Giovanna used to make for her, using bread—even leftover bread—and just a few simple ingredients, as was once the tradition.

Torta Paesana is a dessert rooted in rural cooking, born from the art of wasting nothing and turning what you had in the pantry into something special: bread, milk, eggs, cocoa, dried fruit, biscuits… and that unmistakable “home” aroma that lingers in your memory.

Simonetta’s story really moved me. Since her coeliac diagnosis, she has never found the courage to remake this cake in a gluten-free version.
Not because she doesn’t miss it—quite the opposite—but because some recipes are so deeply tied to memories that the fear of “getting them wrong” can be overwhelming. And so, even today, she still prepares it with regular bread for her husband and friends, choosing not to taste it herself.

This is exactly where the meaning of this project comes in: giving people with coeliac disease back the pleasure of their heart recipes, those that seemed lost forever, the ones that nourish not only the body but also the soul.

I made Simonetta a promise: I will bring her my gluten-free Bread Cake to taste, hoping not to disappoint her and to rekindle the joy she felt as a child.

Ilaria-bertinelli-torta-paesana

Mamma Giovanna’s Gluten-free Bread Cake

32.5g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 1–1.5 litres milk
  • 1 small glass anise liqueur*
  • 330g soft amaretti biscuits* (Sassello-style)
  • 50g unsweetened cocoa powder*
  • 50g sweetened cocoa powder*
  • 50g raisins
  • 30g pine nuts
  • 100g plain dry biscuits** (Oro Saiwa-style)
  • 200g milk rolls**
  • 2 eggs
  • 40g melted butter
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 1 sachet baking powder*
  • lemon zest
  • icing sugar* (optional)
  • a pinch of salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Soak the bread in a large bowl with 1 litre of hot milk (add more if needed). Ideally, do this the evening before baking the cake, or in any case leave it long enough for the bread to completely break down.
  2. Once the bread has fully softened, add the finely crumbled amaretti and biscuits, the well-beaten eggs, melted butter, baking powder, pine nuts, raisins, lemon zest and a pinch of salt.
  3. Line a 26 cm cake tin with baking paper that has been dampened and squeezed dry. Pour in the mixture and bake in a preheated static oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 1 hour.
  4. The cake should be soft and fragrant. Dust the surface with icing sugar to cover any cracks that may form on top during baking.

Ilaria-bertinelli-torta-paesana

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Gluten-free Pumpkin Bounty Bars

As the holiday season approaches, the desire to prepare simple yet impressive desserts grows—little treats to enjoy with a cup of tea or delightful bites to bring to the table and surprise family and friends. These gluten-free Pumpkin Bounty Bars are an easy and quick recipe, perfect for anyone looking for a Christmas sweet that brings together flavour, lightness, and a touch of festive colour.

Pumpkin, with its natural sweetness and creamy texture, makes each bite soft and comforting, while ricotta adds balance and lightness. The desiccated coconut completes the magic with its fresh, exotic note. The result? Small 25-gram treats—indulgent yet nutritionally balanced—ideal for a snack or as a mini dessert at the end of a meal.

Coated in dark chocolate and decorated with almonds, raisins, or candied orange peel, these Pumpkin Bounty Bars bring a charming mix of colours and aromas to your holiday table. They’re perfect for creating a Christmas dessert corner, enriching a festive buffet, or offering as a thoughtful homemade gift.

An inclusive, naturally gluten-free recipe that celebrates autumn flavours and the magic of Christmas with simplicity and creativity.

ilaria-bertinelli-bounty-alla-zucca

Pumpkin Bounty Bars

24.4 g carbohydrates per 100 g (without decorations)
6.1 g carbohydrates per 1 pumpkin bounty

Ingredients

  • 200 g ricotta cheese
  • 80 g desiccated grated coconut*
  • 70 g cooked pumpkin, already cleaned
  • 40 g icing sugar*
  • 150 g dark chocolate

Ingredients to decorate

  • Almonds, raisins, and orange peel

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mash the cooked pumpkin with a fork or blend it until smooth.
  2. Soften the ricotta in a bowl, then add the icing sugar, pumpkin purée, and finally the desiccated coconut.
  3. Shape the mixture into 25-gram bars, place them on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave and let it cool slightly.
  5. Dip each coconut bar into the chocolate to coat it completely, lay it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and decorate with raisins, almonds, or orange peel.
  6. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

ilaria-bertinelli-bounty-alla-zucca

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Cherry mousse with dark chocolate

Cherry Mousse with Dark Chocolate is a simple and refreshing dessert, perfect for summer but also ideal all year round for lovers of chilled sweets.
It can easily be adapted with other seasonal fruits: peaches, apricots, berries or plums work wonderfully in place of cherries, allowing us to update the recipe month by month, following nature’s rhythm.

To reduce the fat content, I used fat-free Greek yogurt to balance out the cream.
Thanks to the natural sweetness of the fruit and the other ingredients used, there’s no need to add sugar: a few drops of sweetener are more than enough, depending on your personal taste and dietary needs.

This recipe is quick and easy, requires no baking, and is always visually impressive. It keeps well in the fridge and is perfect as a light and elegant summer dessert or an afternoon treat.

If you enjoy spoon desserts, here’s another summer idea: my Peach pudding with coconut and mint with no added sugars.

Cherry mousse with dark chocolate

 14.79g carbohydrates per 100g using liquid sweetener

Ingredients for 10-12 servings

  • 380 g cherries (pitted weight)
  • 250 g cream
  • 250 g fat-free Greek yogurt
  • 70 g dark chocolate*
  • 15 g sheet gelatin*
  • 10–12 Luxardo cherries in syrup*
  • Liquid sweetener* or sugar, to taste

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

Preparation

  1. Soak the gelatin in cold water, then melt it in 2 tablespoons of warm cream and let it cool slightly.
  2. Blend the cherries (or your chosen fruit) and set aside.
  3. Whip the cream and gently fold in the yogurt. Add the blended cherries and the dissolved gelatin. Sweeten to taste, then pour the mixture into individual serving bowls or glasses and refrigerate for a few hours to set.
  4. Before serving, top with chopped dark chocolate and one maraschino cherry with a little syrup (approx. 9 g per portion).

Ilaria-bertinelli-mousse-di-ciliegie-con-cioccolato-fondente

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Blueberry Bowl for a perfect breakfast

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Since many of you often ask me where I get my energy from, I’m revealing one of my daily habits: my Blueberry Bowl, a colourful and energizing way to start the day.

I’m sharing this habit with you because the colour of the month, which I explore together with nutrition coach Bianca Balzarini, is blue—the same vibrant hue as two of the main ingredients in this bowl: blueberries and spirulina. In the world of food, blue is a rare shade, but it’s as fascinating as it is full of benefits.

The blue-violet colour of blueberries comes from their high content of anthocyanins, which help fight oxidative stress and protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. These little vitamin-rich fruits are low in calories and offer more than 3 grams of fibre per 100 grams, making them a low glycaemic index food.

Spirulina is a green-blue superfood with extraordinary properties. It’s a freshwater microalga made up of 60–70% high-quality protein that includes all essential amino acids. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals, a powerful antioxidant, and thanks to this exceptional nutritional profile, some studies suggest it may support metabolism and cardiovascular health.

Perfect for breakfast or as a functional snack, this bowl is packed with macro- and micronutrients. In addition to the benefits of blueberries and spirulina, it also provides protein from Greek yogurt, natural sugars from fruit, fibre, and healthy fats from seeds and nuts. All ingredients are naturally gluten-free, and the balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fibre makes this bowl an ideal choice for people with type 1 diabetes too.

What are you waiting for? Enjoy your breakfast!

Ilaria-bertinelli-bowl-ai-mirtilli

Blueberry Bowl

10.12g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 bowls

  • 300g fat-free Greek yoghurt
  • 150g banana
  • 125g blueberries
  • 3 dates
  • 1 level teaspoon of spirulina
  • 1 kiwi
  • suflower seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • goji berries
  • walnuts

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Blend the yogurt with the banana, half of the blueberries, the pitted dates, and the spirulina until smooth.
  2. Divide the mixture between 4 bowls and top each with: 2 teaspoons sunflower seeds, 2 teaspoons goji berries, the kernels of 2 walnuts, 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds, a few cubes of kiwi, and the remaining blueberries. Enjoy as breakfast or a snack.

Ilaria-bertinelli-bowl-ai-mirtilli

 

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Blueberry panna cotta with fruit-only sugars

Blueberry panna cotta with fruit-only sugars is a light and naturally sweet dessert, perfect for those looking for a delicious yet mindful treat. Made without added sugars and with the option to use plant-based milk and cream, this recipe is also ideal for those who are lactose intolerant or follow a vegan diet.

What makes this dessert so special are the dates—rich in fiber, minerals, and natural sugars with a low glycemic index—and the blueberries, true health allies thanks to their high content of antioxidants, vitamin C, and anthocyanins, compounds that support microcirculation and skin wellness.

Its low carbohydrate content makes it a great dessert or snack for anyone who needs to manage their blood glucose levels, like us: enjoy every spoonful of this fresh, colorful, and versatile treat!

If you’re looking for more desserts with no added sugars, try our Peach pudding with coconut and mint.

Blueberry panna cotta with fruit-only sugars

10.73g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 7 servings

  • 500g blueberries
  • 500g plant-based* or dairy milk
  • 250g plant-based* or dairy cream
  • 100g dates
  • 20g sheet gelatine*
  • lemon juice

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

Preparation

  1. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water until soft.
  2. Heat a small amount of milk and stir in the softened gelatine until fully dissolved.
  3. In a tall container, combine the milk, cream, pitted dates, and half the blueberries. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, then add the dissolved gelatine.
  4. Pour the mixture into 7 silicone moulds (for unmoulding later) or into small serving glasses. Refrigerate until set.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the remaining blueberries in a non-stick pan with lemon juice until they release a thick, bright sauce. Let cool.
  6. Unmould the panna cotta or serve in glasses, topping with the blueberry sauce.

ilaria-bertinelli-panna-cotta-ai-mirtilli-con-solo-zuccheri-della-frutta

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Pear and chocolate pudding

Pears and chocolate are a great classic that makes our mouth water just by thinking of their flavour. If we add to this the fact that this Pear and chocolate pudding is super light, we have found a solution to satisfy our craving for sweets without destroying our effort to follow a balanced diet.

This Pear and chocolate pudding is not only a perfect dessert, but it is also excellent as an alternative breakfast or mounth-watering afternoon snack.

Do you know where this recipe comes from? From chatting with a customer of my greengrocer’s who was buying pears to cook this pudding, which I wanted to make even more irresistible by completing it with a chocolate cream!

budino-di-pere

Pear and chocolate pudding

carbohydrates 20,82g per 100g with sweetener

Ingredients for the pudding for 4 servings

  • 500g pears, peeled and cored
  • 40g thick coconut milk or water
  • 20g brown rice flour*
  • sweetener* or sugar

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache

  • 70g bitter chocolate
  • 40g plant or cow’s milk
  • toasted hazelnuts

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Dice the pears and cook them in a pan with coconut milk or water: if you use water, you won’t have the pleasant coconut note.
  2. When pears start di undo, add the rice flour, stir well and blend to a cream: adjust sweetness adding sweetener or sugar to taste.
  3. Pour into 4 little glasses and put in the refrigerator.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate ganache chopping the bitter chocolate and pouring on top of it the milk brought to a boil; stir with a whisk to a smooth and even cream.
  5. At the time of serving, take the glasses out of the refrigerator and complete with the chocolate ganache: if the chocolate has become too hard, warm it up to make it runny and garnish with chopped hazelnuts.
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Coffee-flavoured oil doughnut

The cold season stimulates the desire for hot drinks that immediately bring us a sense of contentment and pleasure, especially when accompanied by a simple, light and old-fashioned sweet such as this Coffee-flavoured oil doughnut.

A few ingredients, a non-stick mould and the handy release agent spray are all you need for a guaranteed result.

You can use the Coffee-flavoured oil doughnut either as a dessert at the end of a meal, accompanying it with a cream of your choice, a scoop of ice cream, a spoonful of jam or a small glass of coffee liqueur, or enjoy it at breakfast accompanied by a refreshing and invigorating yoghurt.

More breakfast ideas? Try the Brioche braid.

Coffee-flavoured oil doughnut

46g carbohydrates per 100g

ciambella all'olio

Ingredients

  • 125g sugar
  • 100g potato starch*
  • 100g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 100g water
  • 100g coffee
  • 100g seed oil
  • 50g corn starch*
  • 3 eggs
  • 16g baking powder*
  • cinnamon powder
  • tonka bean

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. With an electric whisk, whip the eggs with the sugar until white and frothy, add the oil in a trickle, the warm coffee and water.
  2. Very slowly incorporate starch, flour and baking powder by sifting and continuing to stir.
  3. Flavour with cinnamon and grated tonka bean. Grease and flour a mould and pour in the mixture.
  4. Bake in a static oven preheated to 180°C for about 40 minutes.
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Gluten-free Carnival Fried Tortelli

Do you know how the recipe for gluten-free Carnival Fried Tortelli came about? By pure chance, while experimenting with doughs for the Cicerchiata cooked live with the Rieti and Viterbo Chamber of Commerce! Among various combinations of flour, egg and sugar, having obtained a beautiful smooth and firm dough, I thought I would try making Tortelli with plum jam.

The result? Delicious fried Carnival Tortelli! And it’s a good thing I had written down all the weights of the ingredients, otherwise I would have missed out on the doses for an ideal dough for a traditional recipe that has always been prepared in my family (usually in a version with gluten) for Mardi Gras.

Here are other recipes you can prepare for Carnival: Cicerchiata, Fried cream e Krapfen with jam.

Gluten-free Carnival Fried Tortelli

54g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 10 Tortelli

  • 150g plum jam*, very firm
  • 100g gluten-free flour mix for bread, brand BiAglut**
  • 100g gluten-free bread flour, brand Mix B Schär**
  • 2 eggs
  • 20-30g milk (add it gradually)
  • 25g sugar
  • 15g butter
  • lemon rind
  • sunflower seed oil for deep frying

Preparation

  1. Pour the eggs into a bowl, beat them with a fork together with the sugar, add the soft butter and lemon zest. Gradually incorporate the flour, stirring with a fork until the mixture is firm enough to knead with your hands. Add enough milk to obtain a firm mixture, then transfer to a cutting board and knead with your hands until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous and non-sticky dough.
  2. Cover it with cling film and let it rest for 15 minutes.
  3. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm, place a teaspoon of very firm plum jam on top of the pastry, cover with another layer and cut out the Tortelli with the mould provided. Continue until everything is used up.
  4. Heat the seed oil to a temperature of 170-180°C and deep-fry a few Tortelli at a time, using a skimmer to flip them so that they brown evenly. Drain them well on paper towels.

tortelli-dolci-di-carnevale

Version with gluten of Carnival Fried Tortelli

Replace the BiAglut and Schär flours with equal amounts of 00 wheat flour and adjust the amount of milk added.

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Gluten-free carnival sweets: Cicerchiata

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This idea for gluten-free carnival sweets came to me from my friends at the Rieti and Viterbo Chamber of Commerce, who, keeping alive an initiative conceived during the Covid-19 pandemic, organised FB lives from theOsteria Le Tre Porte in Rieti to publicise the products of the area by sending to bloggers and journalists throughout Italy the ingredients to prepare various dishes including Cicerchiata.

When I received the information about the recipes we would prepare together, I had not imagined that Cicerchiata would be a dessert. Instead, in the province of Rieti, it is the traditional Carnival dessert inspired by Campania’s ‘Struffoli‘. The traditional form is that of a garland, which is obtained by pouring the sweets into a doughnut mould, while I’m proposing a mini-serving version so as not to be tempted to eat too much of it.

Given the fundamental role of honey in this recipe, it seems that the spread of Cicerchiata is linked to the development of bee-keeping in this area of Italy, while the name is presumed to derive from the legume grass peas of which the sweet balls of dough reproduce the shape and colour, so Cicerchiata would be a nice ‘stack of grass peas’.

Like many Carnival sweets, Circerchiata symbolises regeneration through its circular shape, the frying that turns a cold dough into a delicacy, and the vitality of honey and colourful decorations.

A tip for those of us who have to be careful with both fried food and simple sugars? Form very small balls, just like dried chickpeas, and reduce the amount of honey to the minimum necessary to hold the precious compositions together.

Here are a few more ideas for Carnival: Krapfen with jam e Fried cream.

cicerchiata

Cicerchiata

60g carbohydrates per 100g without candied fruit and coloured sprinkles

Ingredients

  • 160g flour mix for bread, brand BiAglut**
  • 2 eggs + 15g egg white
  • 100g honey
  • 40g brown rice flour*
  • 25g sugar
  • 20g butter
  • lemon rind
  • slivered almonds*
  • candied fruit*
  • coloured sprinkles*

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Pour the eggs into a bowl, beat them with a fork together with the sugar, add the soft butter and lemon zest. Gradually incorporate the flour, stirring with a fork until the mixture is firm enough to knead with your hands. Transfer everything onto the work surface and continue kneading with your hands until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough, similar to fresh pasta.
  2. Divide the dough into small portions, form them into sticks of dough having a diameter of about 8mm as for making Gnocchi, then cut them into chunks no more than 8mm-1cm long. Round the pieces of dough with your fingers to form small balls.
  3. Heat the seed oil to a temperature of 170-180°C and deep fry a few balls at a time. When they are golden brown, drain them well and let them cool on kitchen paper.
  4. Meanwhile, pour the honey into a large pan and heat it gently for a few minutes. When it has browned slightly, turn off the heat and add the fried balls, stirring to coat them evenly. Finally, add the almonds and sprinkles, taking care to keep some aside for decoration. Mix again, pour the mixture into the desired moulds, garnish with the almonds and sprinkles kept aside and serve.

Cicerchiata

Version with gluten of Cicerchiata

Replace BiAglut flour and rice flour with 250g wheat flour 00 and add 30g sugar instead of 25g.

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Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction

I have already introduced you to the black cherry liqueur Ratafià by the artisan company Scuppoz so today you will discover the second liqueur I love to use in the kitchen, namely the liquorice liqueur which I propose in this Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction, which is also lactose-free.

Liquorice is Abruzzo’s black gold. In the past, this root was given to children instead of candies because it was just as sweet and available in nature along the paths from the mountains down to the sea.

Scuppoz Liquorice Liqueur is produced in a completely artisan way by infusing liquorice roots, which give the liqueur an unmistakable and harmonious flavour (here you can find the AIC rules for choosing gluten-free liqueurs). The ideal temperature for enjoying this liqueur is the refrigerator temperature, as is also the case in my recipe in which, however, we no longer have alcohol in order to serve it to children too!

Follow Scuppoz’s news on social media (https://www.instagram.com/scuppoz_spirits/ ): you won’t regret it!

panna cotta alle mandorle

Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction

41.35g carbohydrates per 100g of Panna cotta without liquorice reduction

Ingredients for 4-5 servings

  • 200g vegetable cream*
  • 150g almond milk*
  • 70g sugar
  • 8g gelatine sheets*

Ingredients for the liquorice reduction

  • Scuppoz liquorice liqueur*

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

 Preparation

  1. Soak the gelatine in cold water.
  2. Put almond milk, vegetable cream and sugar on the stove to heat.
  3. Wring the gelatine and add it to the mixture over the heat so that it melts, then stir well and remove from the heat.
  4. Fill moulds of the desired shape, then place them in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the mixture solidifies.
  5. Prepare the liquorice liquor reduction. Put the desired amount in a small pan and when it comes to the boil, let it reduce for a few minutes, then allow it to cool completely. You can decide to put it in the refrigerator until the momento of serving.
  6. Remove the Panna cotta from the moulds and place it directly on the serving plate, then douse it with the liquorice liqueur.

panna cotta alle mandorle

Version with gluten of Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction

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

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