Vegetable and tuna flan

Secondi piatti

Enticing, tasty and rich in nutrients because it combines the delicious flavour of tuna with the wholesomeness of vegetables and the protein of Parmesan cheese.
What about today’s recipe? A Vegetable and tuna flan can become a pleasant main course, or a one-course meal dish if you want a light but tasty meal.

Certainly, this flan is a way to make even the most stubborn children eat vegetables, thus a solution to ‘train’ their taste towards vegetable dishes in which vegetables are even more prominent, as in the Three-coloured flan.

Want some advice? You can easily make double the amount because I am sure your family will not complain eating the dish a second time!

Vegetable and tuna flan

4.28g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

400g aubergine
400g courgettes
200g tuna in oil, drained
60g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
40g breadcrumbs**
2 eggs
20g milk
extra virgin olive oil, parsley, basil, salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

Wash, dry and clean aubergines and courgettes. Using a mandoline, slice the vegetables to a thickness of 2-3mm and cook them sprinkling them with a pinch of salt in a hot non-stick pan until they are soft.

Put the eggs in a bowl and beat them lightly with milk and a pinch of salt. Add chopped tuna, grated cheese, chopped parsley and basil and 10 grams of oil.
Lightly grease a rectangular mould (approx. 24x12cm), form a layer of aubergines, cover with the tuna mixture and then a layer of courgettes. Continue until all ingredients are used up.

Sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs, drizzle with a little oil and bake in a convection oven preheated to 180°C for 30 minutes.
Serve warm or cold to taste.

Version with gluten of Vegetable and tuna flan

Replace the gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard breadcrumbs.

April 21, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Easter pie

Primi piatti, Secondi piatti

Easter is getting close, so here is a great traditional classic your family lunch: Easter pie.
Let’s say that it is also the perfect solution to get children to eat vegetables without boring them. Our version does not include egg in the filling as a blending ingredient, as it is used hard boiled to be seen when slices are cut.

Easter pie

19.37g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

510 g brisée pastry** (corresponding to almost 2 rolls of ready made gluten free Buitoni Brisée Pastry)
500g mixed leafy greens
310g ricotta cheese
150g baby spinach
130g string beans
100g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
30g pine nuts
20g extra virgin olive oil
4 hard boiled eggs
salt and egg for brushing

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

Preparation

Blanch the greens and spinach in two non-stick frying pans with a little oil and just the water remaining after washing the vegetables. Allow the water to evaporate well or remove it before chopping the vegetables.
Boil the string beans in salted water, drain and cut into pieces.
Place chopped greens and spinach in a bowl, add the string beans, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts; finally, season with salt.
Roll out a thin disc of dough on a sheet of parchment paper to cover a 24cm diameter tin, leaving a few centimetres of dough around the edge. Pour in some of the filling and place the 4 peeled hard-boiled eggs in the shape of an X, staying 3-4 cm from the centre (think about how the slices will be cut so that the whole egg can be seen), cover with the remaining filling and try to lightly level everything out; then cover with a second disc then, with the help of a fork, fold the edges, seal them and pierce the surface.
Brush with a little beaten egg.
Bake the Easter pie in a static oven preheated to 200°C for about 20 minutes until the surface is golden brown.

Version with gluten of Easter pie

Replace gluten-free brisée with standard brisée.

April 14, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Mexican dinner: Vegetarian Chili

Secondi piatti

How about organising a fun Mexican dinner? We have done so and would like to recommend a recipe that is going to be a true success, with intense, spicy flavours suitable for all palates: Vegetarian Chili.

Would you like to accompany the recipe with an aperitif? Try the Guacamole Salsa.

Let’s begin!

Vegetarian Chili

7.41g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

400g tomato sauce
300g yellow pepper
300g red pepper
250g carrots
250g cooked Mexican black beans (about 120g dry soaked in water for at least 12 hours)
200g cooked yellow soy (approx. 100g dry soaked in water for at least 12 hours)
100g water
40g onions
1 piece of chilli pepper
paprika, parsley or coriander, extra virgin olive oil, salt

Preparation

Put the beans in water and cook them for the time necessary for them to remain firm. Once cooked, drain them and set them aside. Repeat the same operation with the yellow soy.
Chop the onion fairly finely and sauté it in a slightly high-sided pan with a little oil, adding the garlic clove and a pinch of chilli pepper according to personal preferences for spiciness.
In the meantime, slice the carrots into rounds and dice the pepper, chop the parsley (in Mexico, coriander is used, but its specific flavour is not liked by all), then add all the vegetables and tomato sauce to the stir-fry, then season with salt and paprika.
Let the vegetables cook for about 15 minutes. Finally, incorporate the soy and beans and let everything gain flavour for another 5 minutes before serving.

Version with gluten of Vegetarian Chili

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

February 28, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Traditional recipes from the world: Gulash

Secondi piatti

You know those evenings when you want to eat something really juicy to treat yourself after the long working day or week?
So, with this in mind, on an afternoon when appetite was king, we decided to prepare Gulash. This is a fantastic way to travel and discover the traditions from other countries, remember.

Are you already anticipating the flavour? We are!

So here’s the recipe!

Gulash

5.8g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

1 kg beef shoulder
400g onions
250g yellow pepper (about 1 trimmed pepper)
250g red pepper (about 1 trimmed pepper)
150g carrots
50g sweet paprika
stock, salt, extra virgin olive oil, chilli pepper

Preparation

Cut the onion and put it in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil, letting it soften slowly for about 20 minutes. Add the chopped beef and let it cook for about 15 minutes.
Add paprika, stir and cook for 1 hour.
Add the chopped pepper and carrot, season with salt, moisten with a little stock and cook for another 40 minutes.
Finally, adjust the flavour with a pinch of chilli pepper to taste and serve with boiled potatoes or polenta.

Version with gluten of Gulash

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

February 21, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Pumpkin flans with sharp Gorgonzola cheese

Antipasti, Secondi piatti

Valentine’s Day is approaching and we want to give you some tips to get to the lovers’ night with a perfect menu to make the dinner not only romantic, but very tasty and inviting, so this is our suggestion: Pumpkin flans with sharp Gorgonzola cheese.

We like them both as an appetiser and as a main course depending on what we decide to prepare for the rest of the dinner, and then don’t forget dessert! Have you already decided which one to cook? Well, you will be spoilt for choice, but if you want an original idea, try Chocolate sweets with candied violets.

So choose your menu, roll up your sleeves and look forward to the joy you will give your loved ones.

Pumpkin flans with sharp Gorgonzola cheese

11.44g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 6 flans

500g pumpkin pieces
200g Marsala or Port wine
100g sharp Gorgonzola
2 eggs
50g milk
50g fresh cream
30g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
30g butter
30g brown sugar
10g potato starch*
salt and pepper

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

Preparation

Bake the pumpkin in pieces in the oven at 200°C for 20 minutes. In a saucepan, place the butter and flavour the pumpkin, add salt and pepper, then transfer to a food processor and blend. Add the egg yolks one at a time and the egg whites beaten until stiff.
In a small saucepan, melt the Gorgonzola cheese with Parmesan, milk and cream; add a teaspoon of starch to thicken slightly. Pour a thin layer of pumpkin cream into 6 silicone crème caramel moulds, cover with the Gorgonzola cream and top with the remaining pumpkin mixture.

Cook bain-marie in a static oven preheated to 200°C for 15-20 minutes.
In a thick-bottomed saucepan, reduce the Marsala wine with the sugar and serve the sauce on top of the already plated flans.

Version with gluten of Pumpkin flans with sharp gorgonzola cheese

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

February 7, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Our recipe for Baccalà mantecato

Antipasti, Secondi piatti

Baccalà mantecato, i.e. creamy salt cod, is a dish with an enveloping taste that is present in many Italian gastronomic traditions. From Vicenza to Trieste, every cuisine has its secrets for making this speciality a tasty main course.

Perfect with a slice of toast, it is also an extraordinary condiment for pasta or rice: try my Salt Cod Risotto.

Here is today’s recipe!

Baccalà mantecato

negligible carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

400g salt cod already soaked with salt removed
80g extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig of parsley
1 clove garlic
water, milk, salt

Preparation

Cook the cod in a pot covered with water and milk, with the addition of a clove of garlic for about 20 minutes.
Remove the skin, garlic and any bones, then place the cod in a blender with the washed parsley leaves. Start blending by adding the oil in a trickle, exactly as you do with mayonnaise.

Add salt if necessary and adjust the creaminess by adding a dash of milk.
You can serve it on its own, with croutons or roasted polenta.

Version with gluten of Baccalà mantecato

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

February 3, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Perfect for children: Cauliflower patties

Polpettando, Secondi piatti

How to get children to eat vegetables? Simple, try using them as the main ingredient to prepare tasty Cauliflower patties. Because we know that patties are always very popular with children, so they won’t be able to say no to this vegetarian version.

The only challenge is to handle these patties gently because they are softer than their meat-based sisters, which you can still use to hide other vegetables, as is the case with my Spinach meatballs.

Cauliflower patties

7.79g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

400g cauliflower
60g Pecorino cheese, grated
40g breadcrumbs**
30g capers
30g extra virgin olive oil
20g parsley
1 egg
1 clove of garlic
salt, pepper and olive oil

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

Boil the cauliflower in salted water until soft. Drain and sauté it in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Let it cool, then remove the garlic and blend the cauliflower in a food processor with capers and parsley. Add egg, Pecorino and Parmesan cheese to obtain a rather firm mixture.

Put a few tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan, form patties, roll them in breadcrumbs and brown them on both sides.

They are excellent served both hot and cold.

Version with gluten of Cauliflower patties

Replace the gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard breadcrumbs.

January 24, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Three-colour flan: all the taste of vegetables

Primi piatti, Secondi piatti

Vegetables are the biggest challenge for us as parents: preparing them in a tasty and appetising way to win children over is not always easy. The Three-colour flan can be a winning idea as it contains some of children’s favourite vegetable ingredients, namely potatoes, pumpkin and carrots.

Given the richness of potatoes and pumpkin in carbohydrates, as well as the presence of cheese and egg, the Three-colour flan can be eaten as a one-course meal, quenching even the most insatiable appetites.

Furthermore, you can also use this wonderful dish as a side dish or, why not, a main course to propose during a dinner with friends with vegetarian preferences, perhaps combined with a Ratatouille.

Three-colour flan

9.54g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

800g potatoes
700g courgettes
400g pumpkin
300g carrots
100g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
25g butter
10g breadcrumbs**
1 egg
to taste salt, pepper, oil

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

Preparation

Boil the potatoes and mash them in a potato masher, then season with a knob of butter, half of the Parmesan cheese and egg. Boil the carrots and mash them too. Steam the pumpkin and thinly sliced courgettes with a little oil and salt. Once the pumpkin is cooked, repeat the operation with a potato masher, add the carrots, a little Parmesan cheese, salt to taste, and complete the mixture with some mashed potatoes.
Form a layer of courgettes on the bottom of an oven-proof dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover everything with the pumpkin mixture, press well and top with a layer of mashed potatoes.
Dust the surface with a little breadcrumbs, put a few tufts of butter on top and bake au gratin in the oven at 200°C for about 20 minutes, until a nice crust has formed. Serve the flan warm or lukewarm.

Tortino-ai-tre-colori-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Three-colour flan

Version with gluten of Three-colour flan

Just replace the gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard ones.

January 20, 2017/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

The simple freshness of Mint flavoured beans

Secondi piatti

Today we have come up with a dish that can become a light main course or a perfect side dish to enrich a meal. Simple, genuine, tasty and ideal for any palate: one ingredient and herbs and you’re done, Mint flavoured beans.

Here’s how to prepare them for a fresh, healthy, naturally gluten-free and diabetes-friendly dish, perhaps accompanied by seasonal vegetables. I chose Borlotti beans that are very common in northern Italy, but feel free to pick your favourite beans for this salad.

And if you want an idea for another fresh and tasty salad, try this irresistible Swordfish salad.

Mint flavoured beans

18.56g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

160g dried borlotti or white beans (soaked for 12 hours)
1 celery stalk
1 clove garlic
extra virgin olive oil, mint, salt and black or pink pepper

Preparation

Boil the beans in water with celery and garlic; once cooked, remove the latter and drain the beans.
Let the beans cool and season them with fresh mint leaves, a good extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper: it is a very simple dish, but really rich in flavour and aroma.

Version with gluten of Mint flavoured beans

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

November 18, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Meal solutions: Pan-fried potato pie

Primi piatti, Secondi piatti

You know, we love trying out new recipes by mixing ingredients and experimenting with different cooking methods and tasty combinations: the Pan-fried potato pie is a perfect example.

Today’s idea is a great one-dish meal because it is hearty and perfect as a complete meal, but also ideal as a tasty main course.

So, let’s start preparing our Pan-fried potato pie, then decide on the best way to enjoy it, perhaps accompany it with Dominican salad.

Pan-fried potato pie

16.4g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

1kg potatoes
100g non-smoked or smoked Scamorza cheese
90g cooked ham*
80g cooked spinach (or frozen and left to thaw)
70g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
2 eggs
butter, salt, pepper, oil

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

Preparation

Boil the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher, then season with a knob of butter, Parmesan cheese and eggs.

2. Now lightly grease a sheet of baking paper with a little oil, then form a disk of mashed potatoes the size of the non-stick pan in which you want to cook the pie.

Cover the disc with the cooked ham, the thinly sliced Scamorza cheese and, finally, the lightly chopped spinach.
Cover the filling with a layer of mashed potatoes so that the pie filling is completely closed. It is a good idea to grease the surface of the pie before placing it in the non-stick pan with the help of the parchment paper and a dish.

Cook over medium heat and, after about ten minutes, turn the whole thing over to the other side with the help of two flat lids, as wide as the pan. When the second side is also golden brown, serve the pie in slices accompanied by vegetables to taste.

Tip: it is excellent also eaten cold.

Version with gluten of Pan-fried potato pie

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients so no adaptation is needed.

October 18, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli