Tour of Italy in 20 recipes: A journey Through Tradition in a Gluten-free Version

From north to south, Italy is waiting to be rediscovered… dish by dish, story by story. It is in this spirit that my project, Tour of Italy in 20 Recipes, was born. Starting in January 2026 and continuing over the next twenty months, I will take you on a culinary journey to explore regional Italian gastronomic traditions, reimagined in a gluten-free version, with careful attention to carbohydrate sharing and the most inclusive cooking possible.

ilaria-bertinelli-giro-d-italia-in-20-ricette

Tour of Italy in 20 recipes: a monthly appointment with regional gluten-free cuisine

This is not just about recipes. Every month, I will have the pleasure of meeting virtually with friends from all over Italy through video calls, where they will share their favourite recipe: the dish they missed the most after being diagnosed with celiac disease, the flavours that evoke memories of family, celebrations, and special moments.

My role will be to turn these stories into reality: I will recreate each dish gluten-free, preserving its flavours, textures, and soul, without compromise. Each recipe will also include carbohydrate information per 100g, helping those with diabetes calculate their insulin dose for the meal.

But this project is also a rediscovery of traditional Italian cuisine. From the rustic breads of the mountains in Valle d’Aosta, to Piedmontese stuffed pastas, to the sweets of the South, each stop will be an opportunity to explore the territory, the people, and their stories, bringing to the table dishes that convey identity, culture, and affection.

The Tour of Italy in 20 Recipes is not just a culinary journey: it is a journey through memories, emotions, and sharing, designed to make you feel part of every region, every story, and every dish.

Don’t miss a single stop! Every month, a new story, a new dish, a new piece of Italy to rediscover… and to enjoy in a gluten-free version.

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My cooking classes on Forbes

When I got the email announcing that there was a journalist who wanted to join one of my cooking classes I had that feeling of fear that I think is inevitable when faced with someone you know is an expert who will surely judge you, but when I realised that the purpose was publishing an article about my cooking classes on Forbes in the US the feeling was pure terror!

After an exchange of e-mails to agree the menu to be cooked together (for any information, please write to me at illybertinelli@gmail.com), the wait for what would be a big day for me began: a hot summer day on the pleasant hills around Parma where my friends Romana and Giancarlo run their B&B, Corte Vecchi, whose kitchen has somewhat become my kingdom.

Cooking classes on Forbes: a magical atmosphere

cucina-corte-vecchi

Journalist David Hochman arrived with his wife, maitre chocolatier (help!) and a couple of very nice French friends from Bordeaux. Once settled around the cutting board to prepare the fresh pasta,  fear completely vanished and we had the time of our lives! You can read the completeForbes article about the full gastronomic journey I will be accompanying in October here.

In addition to preparing the ever-present Tortelli d’erbetta, the area’s most iconic stuffed pasta, we prepared Rosa di Parma, the beef fillet stuffed with the city’s two PDO products, Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma, and concluded with Torta del Vescovo, the tart dressed up for the Bishop’s arrival in the province’s towns, which also won over guests from beyond the Alps in its gluten-freeversion.

A must was a vertical tasting of 3 maturations of Bertinelli’s Parmigiano Reggiano Millesimato, my family’s jewel, and a Prosciutto di Parma matured for 30 months, which thrilled the diners.

parmigiano-bertinelli

The final touch was the fruit in spirit from host Giancarlo, which certainly gave everyone sweet dreams!

forbes

 

 

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Health and Performance Chef: my Master’s Degree course at ALMA

It was a dream I had had for a long time that of attending a training course that could provide me with knowledge in health and performance cuisine: this is the Health and Performance Chef Master’s Degree course  which I attended at the prestigious ALMA, the International School of Italian Cuisine founded by Gualtiero Marchesi.

diploma ilaria

Being the chef of a new world

This first edition of ALMA’s Master’s course is designed to build a professional figure who combines the chef’s gastronomic and taste skills with the scientific and functional skills of expert nutritionists and dieticians, to meet the needs of areas such as wellness, sport, and above all the nutritional needs in the case of diseases linked to incorrect lifestyles.

Una delle attività di training con lo Chef Bruno Ruffini

One of our training activities with Chef Bruno Ruffini

Sponsored by UEFA, the course is designed to broaden the professional horizons of chefs towards the needs of those who find in food their true medicine in terms of energy for performance or for their psychophysical well-being.

That’s why I decided to take 6 weeks to go back to school and to enter the professional kitchens of ALMA in a full immersion of study, practice, insights and workshops together with 13 other fantastic schoolmates.

The Master’s Degree’s teachers: a perfect cocktail of knowledge and expertise

Alcuni dei docenti del Master Health and Performance Chef

Some of the teachers of the Health and Performance Chef Master’s Degree

Cerimonia di apertura del Master con presentazione a compagni e docenti

Master’s Degree opening ceremony with self-introduction to schoolmates and teachers

The teachers? Extraordinary specialists who decided to share their knowledge and expertise for a decidedly unexpected educational cocktail:

Paola Rossi, Professor in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Pavia, where she carries out intensive research and teaching activities and is the author of more than 70 articles in international journals with a high Impact Factor. She is the author of numerous works in the field of Physiology and Nutrition.

Natale Gentile, a consultant in the performance area of the FIGC since 2016, is in charge of nutrition and supplementation for the National Women’s Football team. Since 2019, he has also been a nutrition consultant for the Inter youth sector and women’s first team.

Biochimica degli alimenti con il Prof. Natale Gentile

Food biochemistry with nutritionist Natale Gentile

Andrea Valigi, sports and performance nutritionist, is the team nutritionist for AC Monza and F.I.G.C. for the Under-17 Men’s National Team.

Chef Simone Salvini, a symbol of plant-based cuisine who grew up in the kitchen of Pietro Leemann’s Joia restaurant in Milan, where he became Executive Chef, winning a Michelin star. Today an ambassador for the Alce Nero brand and an absolute reference point for vegan cuisine.

Lo Chef Simone Salvini ci insegna i segreti della cucina vegetale

Chef Simone Salvini teaches the secrets of plant-based cuisine

Impariamo a produrre il tofu

Learning about tofu

Il nostro tofu

Our tofu

Chef Filippo Tawil, Wellness Chef Consultant & Designer, benchmark of wellness food in the most renowned clinics around the world.

Chef Bruno Ruffini, Chef Fulvio Vailati Canta and Chef Matteo Papa, three pillars of ALMA education in charge of in-depth studies and practical workshops on fermentation, pastry-making and low-calorie menus.

A lezione di fermentazioni con lo Chef Fulvio Vailati

Learning fermentations with Chef Fulvio Vailati

Verdure fermentate preparate da noi studenti

Fermented vegetables prepared by us students

Il momento dell'assaggio

Time for tasting

A chef for all

Loaded with theoretical and practical knowledge, after the closing ceremony and the awarding of the Master’s diplomas, I returned to my ‘normality’ as a mother, entrepreneur and this time really Chef, not only for Gaia, but for anyone eager to discover the secrets of food tailored to their needs because each one of us is a masterpiece of complexity that deserves a little masterpiece on the plate.
La mia pasta e fagioli

My pasta with beans

La cucina vegana di Chef Simone Salvini

Chef Simone Salvini’s vegan cuisine

 

 

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President of the Parma Group of Women Entrepreneurs

Monday 26 June, Ilaria Bertinelli, entrepreneur of the language service sector, Ceo of Interconsul, and author of the food blog Uno chef per Gaia was reconfirmed by acclamation President of the Parma Group of Women Entrepreneurs of the Service Sector. The re-election took place during the Elective Meeting of the members of the Confcommercio association gathering the entrepreneurs of the provincial service sector that saw the participation of Anna Lapini, President of the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of the Service Sector.

The new Board

The new Board of the Group elected during the Meeting gathers experienced and successful business women and freelancers.

  • GIACOMAZZI ILARIA (Vice-President)

Production and trade of bakery products

  • IELASI FRANCESCA (Vice-President)

Wholesale and retail sale of products and equipment for pastry shops and restaurants

  • NIGRO NADIA (Vice-President)

Architect – Interior designer

  • BERTOLI ROMANA

Retail sale of apparel and shoes

  • CABASSA PAOLA

Restaurant Owner

  • GARLINI ROBERTA

Wholesale of office furniture

  • MELEGARI CHIARA

Real Estate Agent

  • PARMIGIANI BENEDETTA

Family assistance services

  • PEDRELLI ELENA

Retail sale of food and wine

  • ZATTI MONICA

Car sale and repair services

The Board also accepted the candidacy of two freelancers who offered to give their contribution and support to the Group activities as advisors.

  • GRASSI MARIA VITTORIA

Lawyer

  • MAGNI MARIA CARLA

Press Office – PR and events

Our programme

The newly elected President, Ilaria Bertinelli, thanked her colleagues for the renewed trust and mentioned some of the projects ahead: “I take on this task with great satisfaction renewing my commitment to continue represeting the women entrepreneurs of the service sector. During the first term, thanks to the strong participation of our business women, we played an active role to give voice to a significant share of the local economy. Today, my wish for the second term is that our Group can become a true reference point for institutions and stakeholders so that we can give a meaningful contribution whenever decisions affecting our sector are made”.

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Lunch is ready!

E’ pronto! Tutti a tavola means Lunch is ready! How many times have we heard this sentence? For me this is a marvellous memory of when I was a child, which I now live again with my children, but also on 12 TV Parma, every day before and after the TV news: many easy recipes for the whole family to prepare in few minutes.

The recipes for mums intended for children

How many times have we asked ourselves: what can I cook for lunch today? So, here are some ideas for quick recipes to prepare for the most demanding guests at home, i.e. our children.

The star ingredients in many of these recipes are the products of the Ortolina range, in particular Ortolina Kids, the tomato products containing only organic ingredients, plenty of vegetables and designed by the Rodolfi company for the wellbeing of our young family members.

è pronto tutti a tavola

Lunch is ready: Every day before and after the TV news

Are you ready to say: Lunch is ready! Then don’t miss my recipes. Every day, before and after the TV news on 12 TV Parma (channel 16 on digital TV, channel 5016 on Sky decoder), live streaming and on demand. Your children will be happy to taste something new every day and always with tasty and healthy recipes.

Would you like some spoilers? Spinach and ricotta gnocchi, Sicilian style rolls, Potato and courgette patties with tomato sauce  and much, much more.

Buon appetito!

 

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QuBìTV: Uno chef per tutti

Starting from 13 January, the day celebrating the Saint Patron of Parma, Saint Ilario (also my name-day) do not miss the weekly appointment with Uno chef per tutti, my TV programme dedicated to recipes for all the people who cannot eat gluten, but also other allergens that I will specify from time to time.

Live on Fridays

To watch the programme live, the appointment is every Friday at 7pm (Rome time) on QuBìTV, but if you do not manage to follow the streaming live, don’t worry because you will find the recording online and on the Youtube channel of the tv platform.

And since we start in a cold month, the first recipe is going to be a fantastic Onion soup au gratin to get a full energy charge and to warm up with the flavour of a great classic of peasant foods.

My “field kitchen” at CUBO

Uno chef per tutti is a fantastic live adventure from what I like defining “my field kitchen”: indeed, cooking at CUBO, the multi-purpose venue in Parma, is evidence of the fact that you just need an induction plate and an oven to prepare many tasty recipes ranging from starter to dessert, and that we can all cook in less than 30 minutes, just allowing some extra cooking time.

So, the programme is a celebration of “free from” dishes with taste, fun and especially the joy of cooking and sharing.

Also watch my video recipes available on the blog!

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Lunch box ideas: Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli

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Are you looking for more ideas for your out-of-home lunch? Eating out is indispensable not only for those who work, but also for those who study, so the time has come to share some recipes for your lunch box or for what Japanese people call “bento“… Well, many ideas for lunch boxes that are complete, balanced and tasty to take with you on every occasion.

So, for our young ones going to university and having to eat gluten free and to count carbohydrates easily, the lunch box is a faithful travel mate that contributes to turning the lunch break into a joyful moment.

We found the perfect lunch box for our needs at our friend’s store “I love my house” whom I always ask for help when I am looking for equipment and kitchen solutions: here is where you can find our LUNCH BOX.

This is the beginning of a project that is very dear to me because lunch is a key meal, especially for out kids and we cannot allow ourselves to run short of ideas!

Stay tuned for many more fantastic recipes! Meanwhile, have a look at my Coronation pasta salad.

Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli

85.91g carbohydrates for the whole lunch box

Ingredients for 1 lunch box

  • 110g broccoli florets
  • 100g boiled chickpeas
  • 70g Massimo Zero Organic Pipe**
  • 15g dried apricots
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • paprika
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • parsley
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (in Italy they may be listed on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Boil pasta al dente in salted boiling water, drain and dress it with a dribble of extra virgin olive oil leaving the pasta to cool down.
  2. Blend 70g chickpeas with about 50g water, lemon juice, salt and pepper and a dribble of oil to obtain a cream.
  3. Dress the remaining chickpeas with paprika, pepper and oil to taste, together with blanched broccoli florets.
  4. Season the pasta with the chickpea and broccoli mixture, then add the dried apricots cut in pieces and pour everything in the lunch box.
  5. Put the chickpea cream in the second container or on the pasta completing with a dusting of chopped parsley and a dribble of oil.  Mix well before eating.

Version with gluten of Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli 

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten; however, if you want, you can replace Massimo Zero corn and rice pasta with a durum wheat alternative.

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Coronation pasta salad: all the flavour of summer

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If a historical company like Pastificio Berruto asks you to think of a nutritionally balanced one-dish meal for young consumers to be published in the middle of summer, I immediately thought of my kids, of what they would be able to cook on their own and, above all, of what would make them and their friends happy for a summer lunch. Here is my Coronation Pasta Salad.

My recipe draws inspiration from Coronation chicken, a cold chicken dish that was invented by the two women who ran the London Cordon Bleu cooking school for the banquet organised for Queen Elizabeth‘s coronation in 1953. The name is therefore a clear tribute to the event for which it was intended.

In addition to boiled chicken left to cool, the recipe called for dried apricots, curry, mayonnaise and sour cream, as well as other ingredients in smaller amounts. The two ingredients I took the liberty of making changes to are mayonnaise, the amount of which I have drastically reduced, and sour cream, which I have replaced with zero-fat Greek yoghurt. Furthermore, I turned the recipe into a delicious pasta salad.

So, I enriched the chicken with pasta as a source of carbohydrates and cherry tomatoes as a source of fibre and a touch of freshness. In short, a riot of aromas, flavours and colours for a truly royal summer!

Gli ingredienti principali dell'Insalata di pasta Coronation

The main ingredients of the Coronation Pasta Salad

Coronation pasta salad

22.16g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4-6 servings

  • 600g chicken
  • 300g gluten-free Penne Berruto**
  • 150g water used for boiling the chicken
  • 85g dried apricots
  • 75g fat-free Greek yoghurt
  • 75g mayonnaise*
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 shallots
  • 2 teaspoons curry*
  • 1 level tablespoon of tomato paste
  • The juice of ½ lemon
  • chopped parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 peppercorns
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Boil the chicken breasts in a large pan with the bay leaf, onion and carrot. Add half a tablespoon of salt and the peppercorns; bring to the boil over medium heat and cook for about 25 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the cooking juices.
  2. Meanwhile, fry the finely chopped shallots in a non-stick pan with a little oil; add the curry and continue cooking for one minute. Add the tomato paste dissolved in the chicken stock, the lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  3. Remove the chicken from the broth and cut it into fairly even pieces.
  4. Mix together mayonnaise, yoghurt and curry sauce; add chopped apricots and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Season the chicken with the sauce and stir, making sure that it is completely covered by it. Leave it to rest.
  6. Cook the penne al dente in plenty of salted water, drain and dress with the chicken salad. Complete with a few chopped cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of chopped parsley. Serve the salad warm or cold to taste: it is simply irresistible!

Pasta coronation

Version with gluten of Coronation salad

Replace the gluten-free Penne Berruto with standard Penne Berruto, while the sauce contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no changes are necessary.

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Protein pea pancakes

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When kids ask you for a savoury snack that has to combine several needs, the choice becomes difficult, and if you add a colour game, in my case green, the request turns into a real challenge: the answer is my Pea protein pancakes.

The first request, this time from my son Nicolò, is for protein pancakes because his protein requirement is imposed by daily basketball practice. I turned to a source of vegetable protein and looked for a soy flour with the label gluten-free.

The second request, again from Nicolò, was to include legumes in the preparation, again to better cope with sporting activity having glucose levels as stable as possible.

And finally the game: thanks to theItalian Food Bloggers Association I became aware of a fun initiative entitled Chefs in Colouran online event by Federchimica Ceramicolor dedicated to colour in the kitchen, and since painting is one of my hobbies, I couldn’t help but jump into the fray! My task? Making a green dish, so my pea protein pancakes were just perfect.

And the taste? Delicious and with the sweet and irresistible touch of peas, teased by the saltiness of Greek feta… in short, challenges are like spices for cooking: they add flavour to everything. If you love pancakes, also try these made with chickpea flour.

Protein pea pancakes

8.6g carbohydrates per 100g 

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 250g peas
  • 100g vegetable stock
  • 100g milk
  • 60g white soy yoghurt*
  • 45g soy flour*
  • 1 egg
  • 20g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 20g leek
  • 4g cake yeast*
  • Greek feta cheese to taste
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mix soy and rice flour with milk, soy yoghurt and egg in a bowl using a whisk or blend in a food processor; add baking powder, a pinch of salt and pepper and 50g peas.
  2. Take a steel ring of the desired diameter (I used a 10cm one) and place it on a non-stick pan; pour a little oil inside the ring, then pour in enough batter with the peas to form a pancake. As soon as it has solidified slightly on one side, remove the ring, turn the pancake over and cook it on the other side as well. Continue until all ingredients are used up.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the pea cream. Slice the leek thinly, fry it in a small pan with a little oil, then add the remaining peas and the vegetable stock; bring to the boil. Transfer everything into a blender or use an immersion blender to obtain a cream; season with salt and pepper.
  4. At this point, serve the pancakes accompanied by the cream of peas and crumble Greek feta cheese on top to give a savoury touch.

pancake proteici ai piselli

Version with gluten of Protein pea pancakes

This recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptations are necessary.

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50 shades of coffee and the ricotta Gnudi recipe

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The new book by my blogger friend Raffaella Fenoglio of the blog Tre civette sul comò  entitled ’50 Shades of Coffee‘ has been published and I would share some of its mouth-watering recipes in the section of my blog dedicated to‘Friends’ recipes‘, so here is the first one: Coffee-flavoured ricotta Gnudi with Parmesan fondue

50 Shades of Coffee is a rich guide to this iconic beverage where you will find:

  • 50 curiosities
  • 50 ways to order it
  • 50 works that immortalised him
  • 50 aphorisms
  • 50 places to enjoy it (and how to say it in all the languages of the world)
  • 50 gastronomic-cultural itineraries that combine a recipe (not just sweet!) with a song, a film and a book
  • Infographics, interviews with experts, the reading of coffee grounds, etiquette for savouring coffee, the incredible range of aromas, the most suitable type for each zodiac sign, tell me how you drink it and I’ll tell you who you are: in short, a rich and entertaining dive into this chocolate-coloured world.

Copertina del libro 50 sfumature di caffè

Book cover 50 Shades of Coffee

A few words about Raffaella Fenoglio

With Raffaella I have shared many adventures over the years. Among the first experiences shared, there is certainly the splendid Contest dedicated to the Egyptian onion which I recounted on the pages of my blog during which I was a guest in the beautiful city of Sanremo, but there were many more occasion to meet in my virtual kitchen for cooking courses of which Raffaella herself wrote on her blog.

Besides being a blogger, Raffaella Fenoglio is the author of several books:

  • Abbasso l’indice glicemico 50+4 ricette per contenere l’IG mangiando bene
  • Indice GliceAmico
  • Gala Cox e i misteri del viaggio nel tempo
  • Storia degli strani animali della fattoria dei Monaci Templari e del coraggio della piccola Nicole (e di Claude)
  • Un tè con Mr Darcy
  • Christmas Love. Di biscotti, amore e fortuna

She collaborated on the culinary part of the novel Il gusto speziato dell’amore (The Spicy Taste of Love ) by Silvia Casini Fanucci, and on the L’Astro Narrante series by the same author

In 2021 the following books were published: Il taccuino delle parole perdute, La cucina incantata, ricette tratte dalle anime di Hayao Miiyazaki and 50 sfumature di caffè, segreti, curiosità e ricette sulla bevanda più amata al mondo. Co-authors Casini and Pasqua. 

She is also the creator and coauthor of Upside Down Magazine- Film, Book & Food Love. and with a group of friends in 2007, she founded P.E.N.E.L.O.P.E. odv, an active association for gender equality.

At this point, I think you will be excited to try the recipe I have chosen for you, which is associated with one of my favourite films, Pulp Fiction! Naturally, I have adapted Raffealla’s recipe to the needs of diabetes and celiac disease.

Coffee-flavoured Ricotta Gnudi with Parmesan fondue

11.53g carbohydrates per 100g

 

Ingredients for Gnudi

  • 350g buffalo’s or cow’s milk Ricotta cheese
  • 80g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • 80g potato starch*
  • 30g brown rice flour* to flour the Gnudi
  • 15g coffee powder
  • 3 egg whites
  • salt and pepper

Ingredients for the Parmesan fondue

  • 250g heavy cream
  • 120g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. In a bowl, mix Ricotta with Parmesan, coffee, potato starch, egg whites, salt and pepper. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
  2. Form balls with 30-40g of the mixture and roll them in rice flour.
  3. For the fondue, place the cream in a small saucepan, bring it to the boil, then remove it from the heat and add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring well so that it mixes well. Season with pepper and place a few spoonfuls on the plates where you serve the Gnudi.
  4. Put a pot of water on the stove, bring it to the boil, salt it and throw the Gnudi, cooking them for about 2 minutes or until they rise to the surface. Drain them with a slotted spoon and arrange them directly on plates, then top them with more Parmesan fondue.

gnudi di ricotta al caffè

Version of gluten of Coffee-flavoured ricotta Gnudi with Parmesan fondue

Prepare Gnudi with 100g wheat flour instead of potato starch and use wheat flour instead of rice flour to flour them.

 

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