Tag Archive for: egg free

If you have decided to spend New Year’s Eve at home with friends, you will certainly be struggling with recipes for the New Year’s Eve dinner. Yes, because it is not enough to make something good to eat, you also have to surprise your guests with dishes worthy of a chef, admit it! Then we have the perfect dessert for you: Charlotte Mont Blanc.

If you don’t like chestnuts, how about a Celebration Sacher?

Don’t be afraid, making it is much easier than you might expect. Let’s begin!

Charlotte Mont Blanc

36.23g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 10-12 servings

  • 500g chestnut cream or compote*
  • 500g fresh cream
  • 150g boiled and peeled chestnuts (it will take about 45 minutes to cook them in boiling water)
  • 150g ladyfingers**
  • 80g Marrons glacés*
  • 70g milk
  • 10g bitter cocoa*
  • 10g gelatine sheets*
  • 1 vanilla pod

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation of Charlotte Mont Blanc

  1. Soak the gelatine in cold water, then dissolve it in a few tablespoons of cream and leave to cool.
    Whip the cream and set aside a small amount that will be used to decorate the cake. Gradually fold in the chestnut cream in the whipped cream, taking great care not to make it go flat. Chop 60g of marrons glacés, add them to the chestnut and cream mixture and finally add the melted gelatine.
  2. Take a tall mould with a diameter of about 20cm (we used a rather high cake tin with a larger diameter, so the biscuits turned out to be further apart), cover it with cling film, cut the ladyfingers on one side by removing about 1.5-2cm of the length and lay them along the edge of the mould resting them on the cut side. Pour the chestnut and cream mixture inside the mould lined with the ladyfingers, cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  3. In a small saucepan, place the boiled and peeled chestnuts with the contents of a vanilla pod on the stove, add the milk and cook for about 10 minutes. Then incorporate the bitter cocoa and whisk to obtain a rather thick and homogeneous cream, adding some extra milk if necessary. Cover with cling film and set aside.
  4. Remove the mould with the ladyfingers and cream from the refrigerator and, with the help of the clingfilm underneath, put the Charlotte on a cake stand, then remove the clingfilm on the sides with the help of scissors or a sharp knife, and tie the cake with a decorative bow.
  5. Using a potato masher, mash the chestnut and cocoa cream inside the circle of ladyfingers, on top of the cream mixture; finally, decorate with cream tufts and the remaining chopped marrons glacés.
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Charlotte Mont Blanc ready to be enjoyed

Version with gluten of Charlotte Mont Blanc

Replace the gluten-free ladyfingers with standard ones, no further adaptations are needed.

You know, we like to fight the cold at the table with dishes rich in flavour and able to warm even the coldest winter days, and Ribollita is always one of the first choices.

Here is our recommendation today, a great classic coming from the Tuscan gastronomic tradition: Ribollita, an irresistible speciality prepared with simple and wholesome ingredients, as its peasant history dictates.

And Ribollita is so good that it will win over even the most stubborn vegetable detractors, just like the Vegetable mix au gratin.

Ribollita

3.25g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 400g canned cannellini beans*
  • 200g carrots
  • 180g courgettes
  • 150g kale
  • 150g savoy cabbage
  • 150g potato
  • 100g onions
  • 100g leek
  • 70g herbs
  • 300g ripe tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 bunch of herbs
  • 1 potato
  • water, extra virgin olive oil and salt as needed
  • bread croutons**

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation of Ribollita

  1. Wash and chop the vegetables. Put a little oil in a large saucepan, add onion and leek (let them sweat), then carrot, potato, courgette, Savoy cabbage, herbs and tomatoes.
  2. Cover with water (about 2 litres) and add salt; prepare a bunch of herbs tied with string and add it to the vegetables; finally, add garlic. Let it cook for a long time, add the beans and continue cooking.
  3. When the vegetables are perfectly cooked, set 1/3 of the vegetables aside and blend the rest.

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  1. Serve the soup with slices of stale bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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Version with gluten of Ribollita

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, while you may have to replace the gluten free bread croutons with standard ones.

Have you returned from work, have little time and a dinner to prepare? A common scene for many of us practically every week. But who says it takes hours to prepare something good? Our answer is Chicken rolls with pears and Gorgonzola cheese.

It only takes few ingredients and dinner will be a success: I like saying that we are often not missing the time to cook, but rather some ideas and the necessary ingredients for preparing them, and this is a good example!

Would you like a tip for your side dish? Try the chicken rolls with Vegetables au gratin or some nice Mint flavoured beans.

Chicken rolls with pears and Gorgonzola cheese

1.83g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 600g chicken breast (cut into 16 thin slices)
  • 150g pear
  • 150g Gorgonzola cheese
  • 125g white wine
  • extra virgin olive oil, stock, salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Cut the pear into 16 wedges. Lay out the chicken slices and place a small piece of Gorgonzola cheese and a slice of pear on each. Roll every slice up and secure with a toothpick.

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involtini-pere-gorgonzola-uno-chef-per-gaia-ph-chiara-marando

  1. Brown the rolls in a frying pan with a little oil for about 2 minutes. Turn them, adjust salt if necessary, add a grinding of pepper and douse with wine.

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  1. Continue cooking so that the wine evaporates, add a little stock to complete cooking. Place the rolls on a serving plate and douse with the cooking liquid.

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  1. Serve with a few slices of pear to taste.

Version with gluten of Chicken rolls with pears and Gorgonzola cheese

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

The world-famous Disney cartoon Ratatouille has not only made famous the little mouse protagonist of the story, but also the traditional French dish around which Rémy’s adventures revolve: Ratatouille.

To us Italians, such a high-sounding name makes one think of a super-fine dish, perhaps rich in preparations and sauces, typical of transalpine cuisine. Instead, Ratatouille is a very simple recipe whose goodness lies in the balance of vegetables between them and the very few other ingredients present. In short, Remy was right to be surprised by such an unusual order for the famous restaurant whose kitchen he headed!

Such a simple and tasty preparation is perfect for our table, perhaps to be served with Turkey meatballs with Porcini mushrooms.

 

Ratatouille

6.15g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 600g aubergine
  • 450g courgettes
  • 400g cherry tomatoes
  • 350g yellow and red pepper
  • 120g onions
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove garlic
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt

Preparation

  1. Cut the aubergines into cubes and place them in a colander, sprinkling them with salt so that their bitter liquid drains out. Meanwhile, cut the courgettes into rounds, the peppers into pieces, the onion into slices and the cherry tomatoes into halves.

Ricetta-Ratatouille-Blog-Uno-Chef-Per-Gaia

  1. In a wok, or a large non-stick frying pan, cook first the courgettes and peppers separately in a few tablespoons of oil, then finish off with the onion and cherry tomatoes; then add all the vegetables and sauté with a bay leaf and a clove of garlic.
  2. Adjust salt and pepper.

Ricetta-Ratatouille-Blog-Uno-Chef-Per-Gaia

Version with gluten of Ratatouille

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

What could be better in summer than a nice, fresh Venere rice pasta salad with vegetables?

In our opinion, it is the ideal dish for the summer months, perfect for satiating hunger after returning from the beach, but also for an evening out with friends. It can be prepared in advance, in large quantities, and stored to have a great, healthy meal ready immediately.

Let’s prepare this vegetarian recipe then!

Would you like another idea for a summer salad? Try this Swordfish salad or Tomatoes with anchovy flavoured croutons.

Here’s how to prepare it!

Venere rice pasta salad with vegetables

24.65g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 400g Venere rice pasta Amaranto**
  • 300g white mushrooms
  • 250g courgettes
  • 100g yellow pepper
  • 100g red pepper
  • 100g carrots
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

** Ingredients specific for celiacs

Preparation of Venere rice pasta salad

  1. Clean and slice the mushrooms and sauté them in a non-stick pan with oil and a clove of garlic.
    Next, julienne cut the courgettes and carrots and dice the pepper.
  2. Put a little oil in the wok and cook the vegetables with a clove of garlic, seasoning with salt. When the vegetables are soft, let them cool down.

Insalata-di-past-di-riso-venere-alle-verdure-blog-uno-chef-per-gaia

  1. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water; leave it slightly al dente, drain and cool under running water.
    In a large bowl, mix the pasta with the vegetables and mushrooms; if necessary, season with salt and, if desired, add a few basil leaves.

Insalata-di-past-di-riso-venere-alle-verdure-blog-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Venere rice pasta salad with vegetables

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

Today we revisited a great classic of summer cuisine to turn it into a Travel Caprese.

The recipe we are proposing, however, is a ‘travel’ version, because the mozzarella enclosing a tasty little surprise reminds us so much of suitcases, which almost always contain something to eat… at least ours!

The concept of the small surprise is also found in Supplì Viva l’Italia.

But in particular, this Caprese can be a perfect idea to prepare when about to leave on a trip, so with little time for cooking!

Travel Caprese

negligible carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 4 mozzarellas of cow’s milk or buffalo milk (I got the 250g ones)
  • 80g ripe tomatoes
  • 80g drained tuna
  • 8 pitted olives*
  • salt and basil

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

Preparation

  1. Cut the mozzarellas so that they are divided into two parts, one of which is to serve as the lid.  Then cut the tomatoes into pieces, remove the seeds, salt them and make sure they release part of their water.
  2. Using a knife, empty the inside of the larger half of the mozzarella and lightly salt the inside, then fill it with tomato pieces, drained tuna, olives cut in half and basil.

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  1. Put the mozzarella lid on and, if necessary, fix it with a toothpick and garnish with a basil leaf. Use the inside of Mozzarellas to prepare a salad or to top a pizza.

Caprese-da-viaggio-blog-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Travel Caprese

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

Were we looking forward to summer? Well, with it also the dreaded heat has arrived! And to combat it, we recommend a simple, fresh and very tasty dish, a great classic to which we have added our personal touch: Octopus and chickpea salad with balsamic vinegar, a perfect mix of fish, vegetables, pulses and lightness.

If you love salads, try this Legumotti salad with caramelised Tropea onion.

Here’s what you need to prepare it!

Octopus and chickpea salad with balsamic vinegar

6.71g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 1kg fresh octopus, gutted (500g cooked)
  • 230g cooked chickpeas (I used canned chickpeas*)
  • 200g ripe tomatoes
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 2 small carrots
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, parsley

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

Preparation

  1. Place the octopus in a slightly high-sided pan, add water so that it is more than half covered, then top with a celery stalk, carrots, parsley, onion and garlic; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Insalata-di-polpo-e-ceci-al-balsamico-blog-uno-chef-per-gaia

  1. Once it is ready, drain it and let it cool. Remove most of the skin, cut it into pieces and then add the chickpeas and chopped tomatoes.
  2. Season to taste with a pinch of salt, extra virgin olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. We added the parsley only as a garnishing, but you can also put a sprinkling of it in the salad dressing.

Insalata-di-polpo-e-ceci-al-balsamico-blog-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Octopus and chickpea salad with balsamic vinegar

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

This past weekend was another very intense one, full of excitement and satisfaction. We were in Lucignano, in the province of Arezzo, for the final of the Risate&Risotti Contest. In the kitchen, I had to invent a recipe with the ingredients found in the mystery box. The result? My Tuscan Risotto.

mistery-box-contest-risate-e-risotti

The result was a fantastic risotto made with simple ingredients that feature the flavours of Tuscany… hence the name Tuscan risotto.

We won’t tell you anything in advance about the tale of these two days of cooking, good food and lots of laughs, you will find the story in the next post. Today we want to reveal the recipe that has given us so much satisfaction!

Tuscan risotto

25g carbohydrates per 100g risotto without bread croutons

Ingredients

  • 1.3 litres of previously prepared meat stock
  • 320g Maremma rice
  • 120g Pecorino Toscano cheese
  • 120g green part of courgette (approx. 2 large courgettes)
  • 50g bread** Tuscan type
  • 40g slices of Tuscan bacon*
  • 40g cherry tomatoes
  • 30g spring onions
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 30g butter
  • extra virgin olive oil, meat stock, salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Wilt the finely chopped spring onion in a saucepan with a little oil and the garlic clove. Add the green part of the courgettes, cut with a coarse grater, and a ladle of stock to cook the vegetables.
  2. In the meantime, remove the crust from the bread and cut it into cubes. Put a little oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chopped cherry tomatoes, sauté them, then add the bread, a pinch of salt and pepper and fry until crispy.
  3. In another non-stick pan, put the bacon in pieces so that it becomes crispy.
    Toast the rice in the saucepan with the courgettes after removing the clove of garlic (I took 3 minutes to have transparent rice grains with a white part in the centre), then start cooking the rice with hot stock. When it is still al dente, add the grated Pecorino cheese and stir in the cold butter.
    Plate and serve with a sprinkling of toasted bread and crispy bacon.

Ricetta-Risotto Toscana-contest-risate-e-risotti

I repeated this risotto at home and did not have sliced bacon on hand, so I used 60g of diced bacon sautéed in the non-stick pan without adding anything to make it slightly crispy.

Warmer and longer days lead us to have the desire to organise aperitifs with friends, outdoor dinners or parties.
We are well aware of this, in fact the recipe we recommend today will not only serve as an accompaniment to sauces, deli meats or snacks, but also as a tasty afternoon snack: Maxi teff crackers.

Crispy, fragrant, tasty and easy to prepare… let’s see how!

Maxi teff crackers

65.12g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 150g gluten-free bread flour mix, brand Schär Mix B**
  • 150g water
  • 100g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 50g corn flour*
  • 50g teff flour*
  • 30g extra virgin olive oil
  • 7g fine salt
  • 3g brewer’s yeast

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mix together all the ingredients, except the oil, to form a smooth, even dough.

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2. Roll it out into very thin layers and cut into long, rather wide rectangles as desired; then place them on a baking tin covered with a sheet of baking paper, prick the surface with a fork and brush it with oil.

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  1. If you wish, you can sprinkle the surface with sesame seeds or other seeds and herbs.
    Bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for 10-15 minutes until crispy.

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Now you can serve them!
Our tip: try them with Chickpea hummus!

You need to organise a dinner with friends and you don’t know what to prepare as an appetiser or aperitif? Bruschette assortment is the solution for you!

Colourful, tasty and perfect for delighting the palate with different flavours, delicious ingredients and enjoyable combinations, Bruschette assortment is made with fragrant buckwheat bread topped with ingredients ranging from pulses such as chickpeas, to vegetables such as aubergines and peppers, to cheeses such as Fontina, Robiola  and even pears and cooked ham.

Ready? Then let’s begin.

Bruschette assortment

33.64g carbohydrates per 100g of plain bread

La preparazione delle bruschette fantasia

Preparing the Bruschetta assortment

Bruschettas with chickpea hummus and aubergine

  • Buckwheat bread**
  • Chickpea hummus*
  • Sautéed diced aubergines
  • 1 pinch of paprika

Bruschettas with hummus and peppers

  • Buckwheat bread**
  • Chickpea hummus*
  • Grilled peppers without skin
  • 1 ground pepper

Bruschettas with Fontina cheese and pears

  • Buckwheat bread**
  • Fontina cheese
  • Pears
  • Walnuts
Le bruschette fantasia

Bruschetta assortment

Bruschettas with Robiola cheese and peppers

  • Buckwheat bread**
  • Robiola cheese
  • Grilled peppers without skin
  • Oregano

Toast-like Bruschettas

  • Buckwheat bread**
  • Cooked ham*
  • Cheese that melts easily

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

So many ingredients, and so many types of Bruschetta, but only one simple and quick method of preparation.
That’s right, because once all the toppings have been prepared, all you have to do is lightly toast the buckwheat bread slices, assemble the different Bruschettas and put them in the oven for a few minutes so that they warm up and acquire even more flavour. Obviously, where cheese is present, it is advisable to wait for it to melt on contact with the heat before serving.

Version with gluten of Bruschetta assortment

Replace gluten free bread with standard bread