Gluten-free Sardenaira: the Ligurian focaccia with the scent of the sea

If you love focaccia with bold flavours, the Ligurian gluten-free Sardenaira will win you over at the very first bite. It’s a true explosion of taste: a soft dough topped with tomato sauce, enriched with anchovies, capers, and Taggiasca olives, for a result that carries all the scent of the sea and the essence of tradition.

I first discovered this dish in Sanremo, during a trip with my family: I still remember how much we wanted to try it all together, even though at the time there was no gluten-free version available. Today, with great satisfaction, I’ve recreated the Sardenaira without gluten—faithful to its authentic flavour but suitable for everyone, with that perfect balance between the savoury topping and the sweetness of the tomato.

A tip: don’t overdo it with salt, since the toppings are already naturally very flavourful. Try it, and I’m sure it will become one of your favourite focaccias!

If you prefer more delicate flavors, you might also enjoy my Buckwheat and Corn Focaccia.

ilaria-bertinelli-sardenaira-senza-glutine

Gluten-free Sardenaira

34g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for a baking tray

  • 200g Mix B Schär flour**
  • 200g Nutrifree Pane flour**
  • 100g Fibrepan Farmo flour**
  • 250g water
  • 250g milk
  • 20g extra virgin olive oil
  • 12g brewer’s yeast
  • salt

For the topping 

  • 400 g tomato purée or peeled tomatoes
  • 100 g pitted Taggiasca olives*
  • 10 anchovy fillets in salt
  • 40 g salted capers
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • oregano
  • extra virgin olive oil

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the water, pour it over the flours, add the milk, and knead well. Finish by adding oil and salt. The mixture should be quite creamy. Cover with cling film, place in a warm spot, and let rise until doubled in size.
  2. Meanwhile, thoroughly desalinate the capers and anchovies. If not using tomato purée, chop the peeled tomatoes.
  3. Once the dough has risen, spread it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, wetting your hands with cold water to help you stretch it out evenly to a thickness of about 1.5 cm. Top with tomato purée or chopped tomatoes, arrange the anchovies, capers, halved unpeeled garlic cloves, and olives on top. Sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with olive oil, then let it rise for another 30 minutes.
  4. Bake in a preheated fan oven at 210°C (410°F) for 25–30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve the Sardenaira cut into square pieces.

Version with gluten of Sardenaira

Replace the 500 g gluten-free flours (Schär, Nutrifree, and Fibrepan) with 500 g all-purpose flour and knead with 250 g water instead of 500 g.

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Brown rice crackers with turmeric

Who said healthy snacks can’t be irresistible? These Brown rice crackers with turmeric are not only naturally gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan, but they also feature the incredible power of an extraordinary spice.

Turmeric, with its vibrant golden colour, is much more than just an ingredient—it’s a true ally for wellbeing. Known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, this spice adds a lively touch to any dish. And in these crackers, its mildly spicy flavour perfectly complements the crunchiness of brown rice.

Perfect for snacking on their own or pairing with dips and hummus, these crackers are the ideal guilt-free treat for those looking for both flavour and lightness in every bite!

Brown rice crackers with turmeric

45.8g carbohydrates per 100g

Ilaria-bertinelli-cracker-di-riso-alla-curcuma

Ingredients

  • 210g brown rice flour*
  • 100g water
  • 100g blended almonds (ground into flour)
  • 40g extra virgin olive oil
  • 5g baking powder for savoury recipes*
  • turmeric
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mix all ingredients until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough.
  2. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, cut it into strips of your desired size, and bake in a preheated static oven at 200°C for 10 minutes or until crispy.
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Wholemeal gluten-free sandwich bread

The Secret to a Great Sandwich? The Bread! Without a doubt, the key to a great sandwich is the bread! When I made the Tuna Melt, one of the elements that truly made a difference was my Wholemeal Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread—a recipe carefully designed to ensure softness, flavor, and a balanced impact on blood sugar levels.

This bread is perfect not only for gooey, irresistible sandwiches but also for breakfasts, sweet or savoury toasts, and creative bruschettas. Its soft texture and slightly rustic flavor make it an excellent base for many preparations—try using it to make these Bruschette Assortment!

If you’re looking for a gluten-free bread that doesn’t crumble and stays soft even the next day, this is the recipe for you!

Wholemeal gluten-free sandwich bread

47.50g carbohydrates per 100g

ilaria-bertinelli-pane-a-cassetta-integrale

Ingredients for one loaf

  • 270 g Nutrifree Bread Mix Flour**
  • 250 g milk
  • 250 g water
  • 200 g Nutrifree Wholemeal Bread Mix Flour**
  • 30 g hemp flour*
  • 30 g extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 g fresh yeast
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. In a planetary mixer, combine the flours. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water, then add it to the flours along with the milk.
  2. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes, then increase to high speed and mix for 4 more minutes.
  3. Add the salt and oil, ensuring they are well incorporated into the dough. Transfer the dough into a well-greased or non-stick sprayed sandwich bread mold (30×10 cm).
  4. Let the dough rise for at least 2 hours, or until it reaches almost the top of the mould.
  5. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 230°C for 45 minutes.
  6. Remove the bread from the mould immediately after taking it out of the oven.
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Baking time: Onion and anchovy flat bread

For a snack, an aperitif or to enrich the bread basket, try the Onion and anchovy flat bread.

Try a fibre-rich dough using not only wholemeal flour, but also soluble fibre i.einulinwhich is essential to reduce the glycaemic index of the preparation. The presence of a very simple filling of onions and anchovies also enriches the nutritional profile of the recipe: additional fibre from the onions and all the goodness of Omega 3 from the anchovies.

Since I had them available, I decided to try using Giarratane onions, the sweet, extra large Sicilian onions that are perfect when combined with tasty anchovies, for a truly mouth-watering result.

If you feel like turning on the oven and making Focaccia, try the Buckwheat and Corn Focaccia.

Onion and anchovy flat bread

carbohydrates 38.82g per 100g

schiaccia-di-cipolle-e-alici

Ingredients for a flat bread of 28cm diameter

  • 400g gluten free bread flour mix, brand Nutrifree** (for the version with gluten, see below)
  • 400g water
  • 400g onions
  • 60g brown rice flour*
  • 20 g inulin*
  • 20g buckwheat flour*
  • 10-12 anchovies in oil
  • 8g brewer’s yeast
  • 8g salt
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • dried oregano
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the water.
  2. Place the flours and inulin in the bowl of a planetary mixer, start mixing and add the water with the yeast in a trickle; mix for 5 minutes at medium speed, then add the salt and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, mixing for another 3-4 minutes.
  3. Form a ball with the dough, place it in a bowl and lightly grease the surface with extra virgin olive oil; cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in volume (approx. 2 hours).
  4. Meanwhile, slice the onions and slowly fry them in a non-stick pan with a little oil. Season with oregano, adjust salt and pepper and set aside.
  5. Divide the dough into two parts, one slightly larger to form the base of the flat bread: roll the dough out onto a sheet of baking paper and cover a baking tin at least 28 cm in diameter.
  6. Stuff with the onions left to cool and the chopped anchovies; cover the filling with a second disc of dough, pierce it with a fork and brush the surface with extra virgin olive oil.
  7. Bake in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for 30 minutes.

schiaccia-di-cipolle-e-alici

Version with gluten of Onion and anchovy flat bread

For the dough, replace the Nutrifree flour, rice flour and buckwheat flour with 500g of all-purpose flour and mix it with 330g of water. The preparation and filling remain unchanged.

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Tasty summer? Pan-cooked creamy flatbread

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What can you prepare when you are caving for a savoury snack, but you have little time available and don’t want to use the oven? This Pan-cooked creamy flatbread is a perfect solution for snacks, aperitifs, garden parties and unannounced guests.

Prepare the dough in few minutes, leave to rest for 30 minutes and that’s it: roll out two disks of dough and stuff them with your favourite ingredients or what you have available in the fridge or larder.

I found the perfect occastion to enjoy the vegetable creams with no preservatives and no gluten of the Citres company, my booth neighbours at the Cibus 2024 food exhibition. I made my Pan-cooked creamy flatbread both with Radicchio cream which you will find in the recipe below, and with Pumpkin cream which I used with slices of Taleggio cheese: cook both of them because it will be very hard to decide your favourite one.

Schiacciata-in-padella

Pan-cooked creamy flatbread

33.22g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the dough

  • 150g flour mix for bread, brand Nutrifree**
  • 100g milk
  • 10g extravirgin olive oil
  • salt

Ingredients for stuffing

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Prepare the dough mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until you obtain an even and firm mixture. Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Divide the dough in half and roll out each half with a rolling pin to obtain two disks of about 24cm diameter, but with one the two slightly larger.
  3. Spread the Radicchio cream and cream cheese on the larger disk leaving about 1-1.5cm along the permiter uncovered, then top with the second disk and fold the edge to seal the disks.
  4. Slightly grease a non-stick pan, better using spray extra virgin olive oil, and cook the flatbread for about 5 minutes on each side using a lid to turn it half-way through the cooking.
  5. Serve the flatbread hot and be creative with stuffing ideas!

Schiacciata-in-padella

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Gluten-free vegetarian burgers with soybeans and bell peppers

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How can we combine the pleasure of a burger with a tasty and vegetarian alternative? Try these Gluten-free vegetarian burgers with soybeans and bell peppers.

It is important to remember that burger buns are normally made with butter and milk, so don’t forget to pair this type of bread with a good source of fibre, like these soybean burgers that contain plenty of colourful and tasty vegetables, and a mayonnaise prepared without eggs and dairy products that you can flavour to taste. I was given the recipe of this mayonnaise by my friend blogger Cristiana Curri and I must say that it can be adapted to any preparation, both sweet and savoury!

A nice characteristic of these burgers is that they can be cooked both in a frying pan and in the oven depending on the time available and the desired to turn on the oven. Furthermore, you can always make extra to store in the freezer, ready for unexpected snacks with our children’s friends and schoolmates.

Gluten-free vegetarian burgers with soybeans and bell peppers

17.38g carbohydrates per 100g (about 7.7g carbohydrates per burger)

 

Ingredients for 12 burgers with soybeans and bell peppers

  • 200g cooked soybeans (I soaked them the night before starting from about 70g dried soybeans, which I cooked for 1 hour)
  • 200g red bell pepper
  • 85g leek
  • 1 egg
  • 30g breadcrumbs**
  • chopped parsley, chilli pepper, paprika, marjoram, salt and pepper
  • 12 small burger buns (you can prepare them using the recipe of Brioche braid increasing slightly the salt, or my recipe of Panini per hamburger with Massimo zero flour)

Ingredients for the egg-free mayonnaise and to complete

  • 100g high oleic sunflower oil
  • 50g soy milk*
  • paprika
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • leaves of lettuce

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation of burgers

  1. Chop the leek and put it in a non-stick frying pan with a dribble of oil; add the red pepper cut in pieces and cook the vegetables until soft. When almost ready, add the cooked soybeans and flavour with spices and salt to taste. Put everything in a food processor and blend to a mixture (leave some pieces inside). Allow to cool down, then add egg and breadcrumbs and mix well.
  2. You can cook the burgers in two ways: in a frying pan or in the oven. To cook them in a frying pan, grease it a bit with olive oil and use a metal ring of the desired shape to form the burgers putting a tablespoon of mixture inside the rings. After a minute, remove the rings and complete cooking the burgers on both side. To cook the burgers in the oven, shape them using a metal ring directly on the baking tin lined with slightly greased parchment paper, then bake the burgers in a convection oven pre-heated at 180°C for about 15 minutes.

Preparation of vegetable mayonnaise

  1. Pour the soy milk in a tall glass and blend with a hand blender pouring the oil in a trickle. Complete adding salt and paprika to taste.
  2. Assemble the burgers cutting the buns in half, putting the soybean burgers, the mayonnaise and lettuce.

Burger di soia e peperone

Version with gluten of Burger with soybeans and bell peppers

Replace the gluten-free buns with standard buns, whereas no adaptation is necessary for burgers and mayonnaise.

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Amazing gluten-free Crispy wholemeal bread

Our needs are a constant challenge, especially when it comes to bread because gluten-free and wholemeal bread are hard to find on the market: so here is my favourite recipe for a crispy gluten-free wholemeal bread that will win you over immediately.

One ingredient I can no longer do without is chia seeds, in my case Salbachia, a type of light-coloured chia, which you will barely be able to make out in the finished dough, but which will give the inside of the bread a nice, even texture and prevent it from crumbling, as often happens in gluten-free bread.

If you really want an extraordinary result, bake the bread in a cast iron casserole dish, I use my inseparable Le Creuset: the crunching of the crust of the bread will be music to your ears!

If you have time to spare, also try the low-yeast version of the Crispbread casserole.

Crispy wholemeal bread

52.49g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 2 loaves

  • 700g water
  • 600g flour mix for bread, brand Nutrifree**
  • 240g wholemeal flour mix for bread, brand Nutrifree**
  • 60g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 60g buckwheat flour*
  • 40g light-coloured chia seeds* (soaked in 100g water)
  • 30g extra virgin olive oil
  • 25g brewer’s yeast
  • 10g salt
  • rice flour for dusting
  • oil for brushing (only for oven baking, without casserole)

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Put the chia seeds in a bowl and cover them with 100g water; stir them occasionally and after about 15 minutes a thick mucilage will have formed.
  2. Place all the flours in the bowl of a planetary mixer.
  3. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the 700g water and gradually add it to the flours in the planetary mixer while mixing at medium speed. Also add the chia mucilage and continue stirring. After 5 minutes, add the oil and salt and stir for another 5 minutes.
  4. Place the dough on a cutting board lightly dusted with rice flour and, with the help of a dusting of flour, flatten it slightly to form a kind of rectangle. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Divide the dough in half, wrap it lightly to form a kind of cylinder and place it to rise in a slightly elongated bamboo bread basket. Cover it with a tea towel and let it rise for at least 1.5 hours in a warm place. If you bake the bread directly in the oven and not in a casserole dish, I recommend dividing the dough into 4 loaves, which you can either let rise inside round leavening baskets or in a bowl lined with a lightly floured cloth napkin.
  6. If you bake the bread inside a casserole dish, place it in the oven and preheat to 230°C. When the oven has reached temperature, remove the casserole dish from the oven carefully, flip the bread into it, close it with the lid and bake for 45 minutes. After this time, remove the lid and leave in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
  7. If you bake the bread directly in the oven, preheat the convection oven to 200°C, turn the bread onto a baking tray covered with baking paper, brush the surface with extra virgin olive oil and bake for 45 minutes (the 4 loaves) or 1 hour (the 2 long loaves).
Le 4 pagnotte di pane integrale

The 4 wholemeal bread loaves

Version with gluten of Crispy wholemeal bread

Replace the Nutrifree bread flours with two wheat flours, and mix them with about 600g water.

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Bread loaf with sausage and asparagus

Are you in the mood for something tasty, fragrant and irresistible? Try this bread loaf with sausage and asparagus, perfect for a snack or to bring cheers to a meal.

You can also replace the asparagus with another seasonal vegetable, making sure to cook it lightly before inserting it into the bread, as baking it inside the dough may not be enough to get it perfectly cooked.

Use this dough also to make delicious gluten-free wholemeal rolls: they will be perfect for stuffing later or for scooping up the sauce in a meat dish, such as Gulash.

Bread loaf with sausage and asparagus

34g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the dough

  • 420g flour mix for bread, brand Nutrifree**
  • 350g water
  • 60g buckwheat flour*
  • 40g extra virgin olive oil
  • 12g brewer’s yeast
  • flour for dusting
  • salt

Ingredients for stuffing

  • 250g sausage*
  • 200g fresh or frozen asparagus
  • 100g white wine
  • 70g caciotta-type cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds
  • Poppy seeds
  • lemon rind
  • chili
  • 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. Place the Nutrifree flour and buckwheat flour in a planetary mixer. Start mixing by pouring the water in which you have dissolved the brewer’s yeast. Mix for a few minutes, then add the extra virgin olive oil and continue mixing for at least 5 minutes at medium speed. Finally add salt, mix for another 2-3 minutes, then place the dough on a Teflon cutting board lightly dusted with rice flour and let it rest for the time needed to prepare the filling.
  2. Place the asparagus in a non-stick pan with a little extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and cook.
  3. Crumble the sausage in a non-stick pan and brown it with the fennel seeds; deglaze with white wine and when it has evaporated, season with a grating of lemon zest and a pinch of chilli pepper; cook then remove from the heat.
  4. Roll out the bread dough to form a rectangle of approximately 45 x 25cm. Lay the asparagus in the centre of the rectangle forming a horizontal strip up to about 2cm from the side edges, cover with the sausage and top with the pieces of caciotta cheese. Fold the rectangle in a wallet shape over the filling and seal the ends.
  5. Brush the loaf with beaten egg, sprinkle with poppy seeds and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in volume.
  6. Bake in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for 50 minutes.

filone di pane con salsiccia e asparagi

Version with gluten of Bread loaf with sausage and asparagus

Replace the Nutrifree flour with an equal amount of wheat flour and reduce the amount of water to obtain a firm dough.

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Gluten-free Focaccia with lentil flour

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Who can resist gluten free Focaccia with lentil flour? At home, it finishes right away because it is good, soft, fragrant and more blood sugar-friendly than classic Focaccia. Watch how to prepare it!

I love focaccia because it is easy to cut into portions, freeze and stuff quickly in the morning before school even just out of the freezer: that way, by break time, it will be perfect to be enjoyed.

The addition of lentil flour helps reduce the glycaemic index of the focaccia and gives it a golden, slightly orange colour that is very pleasing to the eye. Serve it stuffed with whatever you like or enjoy it plain: whatever solution you choose, it will not disappoint you!

If you love focaccia, also try Gluten-free Buckwheat and corn focaccia.

Focaccia with Lentil Flour     

43g carbohydrates per 100g

 Ingredients

  • 400g water
  • 250g gluten free bread flour mix, brand Schär Mix B**
  • 250g gluten free bread flour mix, brand Fibreban Farmo**
  • 200g milk
  • 100g lentil flour*
  • 30g extra virgin olive oil
  • 17g brewer’s yeast
  • 10g salt
  • extra virgin olive oil for spreading the focaccia and for the emulsion
  • coarse salt
  • oregano
  • water for the emulsion

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Pour water and milk into a food processor or thermomix and dissolve the brewer’s yeast in it.
  2. Pour the flours into the processor with the liquids and mix, adding oil and salt until a smooth, creamy dough is obtained.
  3. Pour the mixture onto a baking tin covered with parchment paper, pour a good amount of oil on the surface to help you flatten out the dough using your hands, lightly sinking your fingers in to give it the typical focaccia appearance.
  4. Let rise for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume. Sprinkle with a grinding of coarse salt and dried oregano.
  5. Bake for about 25 minutes in a convection oven preheated to 200°C.
  6. Let the focaccia cool and brush the surface with an emulsion of water and a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

focaccia con farina di lenticchie

Version with gluten of Focaccia with lentil flour

Replace the gluten free flour with 500g wheat flour and reduce the total amount of liquid (water and milk) to 420g instead of 600g.

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Mini buckwheat breadsticks

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Are you short of time, but fancy something tasty and versatile? Mini buckwheat breadsticks will be a delightful surprise. Watch how to prepare them on my YouTube channel!

Very few ingredients, quick and easy to prepare, you can use them as an aperitif or to make the bread basket even richer, perhaps by combining them with some Buckwheat and corn focaccia.

The base is a brisè crust whose flavour is enriched by blended sesame seeds that allow us to reduce the amount of salt contained, but let’s not forget that these are buckwheat mini breadsticks that contain butter, so let’s not eat too many… as they are irresistible!

Finally, sesame seeds are rich in calcium, as well as containing Omega 3 and Omega 6, so they are good supplements for lactose intolerant people and to prevent osteoporosis.

Mini buckwheat breadsticks   

carbohydrates 49.7g per 100g

Ingredients

  • 130 g gluten free bread flour mix, brand Nutrifree**
  • 60g buckwheat flour*
  • 80g butter
  • 40g water
  • 1 egg white
  • 20g sesame seeds
  • 1 pinch of salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation of Mini buckwheat breadsticks

  1. Put the sesame seeds in a blender and blend to a flour.
  2. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients: the sesame flour, bread flour and buckwheat flour, a pinch of salt, the cold butter in small pieces, the egg white and the water and stir to obtain an even mixture.
  3. Form a ball with the dough, wrap it in cling film and place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  4. Take pieces of dough and form them into cylinders 1cm in diameter, cut them into pieces 3-4cm long and lay them on a baking tin lined with parchment paper.
  5. Bake the breadsticks in a static oven preheated to 180°C for about 20 minutes.
I mini grissini al saraceno pronti per essere gustati come stuzzichino

The mini buckwheat breadsticks ready to be enjoyed as appetisers

Version with gluten of Mini buckwheat breadsticks

Replace the gluten free flour with 150 g bread flour and reduce the amount of water if the dough is too soft.

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