Tag Archive for: giro d’italia in 20 ricette senza glutine

Tuscany: Gluten-free Cantucci

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For the ninth stage of my Giro d’Italia in 20 Gluten-Free Recipes, I arrived in Tuscany with one of the most iconic sweets of the region: gluten-free Cantucci.

My friend Valentina suggested this recipe to me. She told me that, after her daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease, there were many traditional dishes she thought about, but Cantucci remain among the recipes she misses most. They are the biscuits traditionally served with coffee, enjoyed at the end of a meal with friends, or offered to guests as a symbol of hospitality and conviviality.

Perhaps not everyone knows that what we commonly call Cantucci are also known as Biscotti di Prato. The latter is the name of the traditional recipe that originated in the city of Prato and was made famous in the nineteenth century by the Mattei biscuit bakery. Over time, the term Cantucci gradually became more widespread and is now the name by which these biscuits are known throughout Italy and around the world.

The name Cantuccio also has a curious history. Contrary to what is sometimes believed, it does not refer to the double-baking process, but probably derives from the Latin cantellus, meaning “small corner” or “small piece”. This is thought to refer to the shape of the biscuit, obtained by cutting the dough log diagonally before the second bake.

The double baking, on the other hand, is what makes these biscuits so special. After the dough is first baked as a log, it is sliced while still warm and returned to the oven. This process gives Cantucci their characteristic dry, crisp texture, which has made them famous and makes them perfect to enjoy with Vin Santo, as tradition dictates in Tuscany.

For my version, I chose to use naturally gluten-free flours, making these biscuits easy to prepare at home and perfect to offer to friends or family members with celiac disease, so that everyone can enjoy the same sweet treat together.

And this is precisely the thread running through my journey across the Italian regions: showing that the pleasure of sharing food should never have barriers.

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Gluten-free Cantucci

63.6 g carbohydrates per 100 g

Ingredients for approximately 40 pieces

  • 180 g whole-grain rice flour*
  • 150 g sugar
  • 150 g shelled almonds, with and without skin
  • 120 g butter
  • 50 g potato starch*
  • 50 g almond flour*
  • 35 g fine whole-grain corn flour*
  • 2 eggs
  • just under ½ teaspoon xanthan gum*
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • rice flour* for dusting

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Method

  1. Work the whole-grain rice flour with the butter, then add the remaining dry ingredients and continue mixing with your fingertips. Finally, add the eggs and mix until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough.
  2. Coarsely chop the almonds and incorporate them into the dough.
  3. Using a little rice flour to prevent sticking, shape the dough into 5 logs approximately 4 cm wide. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated conventional oven at 200°C (390°F) for 14 minutes.
  4. Remove the logs from the oven and let them cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Cut them diagonally into slices just over 1 cm thick, then place the biscuits back on the baking tray and return them to the oven at 180°C (355°F) for another 12–14 minutes.
  5. Remove the Cantucci from the oven and allow them to cool completely before serving. Store them in a tightly sealed biscuit tin.
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Trentino Alto Adige: gluten-free Mochena Brioche

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This stop on my Tour of Italy in 20 Gluten-Free Recipes takes us high into the mountains of Trentino-Alto Adige, where my friends Gianni and Lorenzo introduced me to a dessert I had never come across before: the Mòchena Brioche.

“Mòchena” refers to the Valle dei Mòcheni, an area where traditional baking is closely linked to local ingredients. Berry cultivation is particularly widespread here and represents one of the defining features of the region’s culinary identity.

Alongside the berries, the structure of this dessert reflects the Central European influences typical of this border region: a fragrant, carefully crafted dough similar to brioche, braided and enriched with pastry cream and fruit preserve to create a soft and indulgent texture.

This gluten-free version preserves that balance, focusing on both structure and flavour to produce a light, well-risen braid in which the sweetness of the pastry cream is complemented by the slightly tangy notes of blueberries. It is no surprise that Gianni and Lorenzo immediately thought of such a delicious dessert, and I am grateful to them for introducing me to it!

ilaria-bertinelli-treccia-mochena

Gluten-free Mochena Brioche

49g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for one 40cm brioche

  • 165 g Biaglut bread mix**
  • 165 g Nutrifree bread mix**
  • 85 g milk
  • 80 g softned butter
  • 50 g sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 12 g fresh brewer’s yeast
  • 4 g salt
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • seeds from a small piece of vanilla pod

For the filling

  • 300 g pastry cream (prepared with 200 g milk, 60 g sugar, 16 g cornstarch*, 2 egg yolks and vanilla)
  • 200 g raspberry jam
  • 50 g fresh mixed berries

To finish

  • 1 egg white
  • brown sugar

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan, place it over low heat and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from the heat, allow it to cool slightly, then add the eggs and whisk well.
  2. Crumble the yeast into the milk and egg mixture and whisk until fully dissolved.
  3. Place both flour mixes into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix for a minute to aerate the flour, then add the liquid mixture containing the yeast. Knead at low speed until combined, add the salt and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and homogeneous.
  4. Meanwhile, combine the softened butter with the lemon zest and vanilla. Gradually incorporate it into the dough, adding a little at a time.
  5. Shape the dough into a ball and leave it to rise in a bowl covered with cling film in a slightly warm oven for about 2 hours, or uncovered if using a steam-proofing function.
  6. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and chill for 30–40 minutes. This step makes the dough easier to handle.
  7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured sheet of baking paper to form a rectangle measuring approximately 30 × 40 cm.
  8. Imagine dividing the rectangle lengthwise into three equal sections. Spread the pastry cream over the central section, cover it with the blueberry preserve and scatter the fresh berries on top.
  9. Cut diagonal strips approximately 3 cm wide along the two outer sections. Fold the strips alternately over the filling to create a braided effect, then seal both ends to prevent the filling from leaking during baking.

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10. Brush the surface generously with the lightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with brown sugar. Leave the braid to rest while the oven preheats.

11. Bake in a fan-assisted oven preheated to 170°C on the middle shelf for 40–50 minutes, or until the braid is golden brown. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Allow the braid to cool completely before serving.

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