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Yoghurt flat bread

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Yoghurt flat bread means homemade bread, which is one of the most satisfying preparations: what could be nicer than the fragrance of bread baking that fills the room? But we don’t always have time to let bread rise and bake it for 45 minutes or more. Try this simple:

Yoghurt flat bread made with baking powder and wholemeal flour.

So a convenient, homemade bread, ready in minutes: we only need 30 minutes to let the dough rest, which is the time needed to set the table, dress the salad and serve the other courses or ingredients with which to top our flat bread. And besides being able to prepare it with and without gluten, this wholemeal version is also very diabetes-friendly thanks to fibre content and yoghurt, which slow down the absorption rate of carbohydrates.

A bread from the Orient

In the cuisine of many Central and South Asian countries, as well as in the Middle East, flat and rounded types of bread are prepared that are suitable for meat, fish and vegetable dishes in small pieces, making them easy to eat as street food.

One of the most popular types of these breads is Naana bread made famous by Indian restaurants all over the world. It is served hot to accompany other dishes and seasoned with butter or ghee (clarified butter used in this cuisine) as well as being flavoured with spices and herbs.

For convenience, it is nowadays prepared using baking powder and yoghurt in the dough instead of water to make it softer. And while in India they use the characteristic clay oven called Tandoor, the oven used to cook tandoori chicken, perhaps the best-known Indian dish outside its country of origin and always present on the menus of these ethnic restaurants, we will use a simple non-stick frying pan with a thick bottom.

In this video recipe you can see how to prepare the wholemeal yoghurt bread and I suggest you serve it in the Emilian way, therefore with some of the products of this land such as Squacquerone cheese and Prosciutto di Parma, but when you have a moment of time I invite you to try it with some meat and vegetable dishes accompanied by curry and spice sauces that will certainly make you travel with flavours at this time when physically doing so is still rather difficult.

Focaccina allo yogurt farcita

Yoghurt flat bread ready to be enjoyed

Wholemeal yoghurt flat bread 

38.32g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 12 pieces

  • 400g fat free Greek yoghurt
  • 300g gluten-free wholemeal bread flour mix, brand Massimo Zero**
  • 100g brown rice flour* (you can also change the proportions and make 350g Massimo Zero Bread Mix** and 50g buckwheat flour: the dough will be darker and easier to roll out)
  • 8g baking powder*
  • aromatic herbs to taste
  • dried cherry tomatoes to taste (optional)
  • salt
  • dusting flour**

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mix the flour with yoghurt, baking powder and a pinch of salt until smooth.
  2. Cover it with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Divide the dough into 3 parts and flavour one part with chopped herbs, a second part with dried tomatoes to taste and leave the third part plain. Finally, divide the dough into 4 pieces of each type, form them into balls, then roll them out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 3-4mm.
  4. Heat a non-stick frying pan or a smooth griddle. When it is hot, place the bread on it and cook it on both sides until brown, with darker bubbles scattered on the surface.
Cottura della focaccina

Cooking the bread

  1. Serve the bread with toppings to taste. And if you like flat bread and have a little more time available, try also potato patties.
Focaccine allo yogurt con Squacquerone,Prosciutto di Parma e rucola

Yoghurt flat bread with Squacquerone cheese, Parma ham and rocket

Version with gluten

Replace the gluten-free flour and rice flour with 400g of wholemeal wheat flour and mix it with 350g of fat free Greek yoghurt.

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Flaxseed dark bread

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I had promised you a journey into gluten free bread, so the must stop is this Flaxseed dark bread. In addition to using a preparation rich in fibre and sunflower seeds, I thought I would also add flax seeds to benefit from all the qualities they contain. Taking care of oneself by eating good bread seems a good solution to me.

Flaxseeds are rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids, promote the expulsion of LDL cholesterol and promote the synthesis of HDL good cholesterol, thus preventing the onset of cardio-vascular diseases. They also help control triglycerides, keeping arteries clean and regulating blood pressure. And finally, they contain vitamins B, vitamins C and E, minerals and essential fatty acids: in short, real natural food supplements.

The important thing to emphasise is that in order to be able to digest flaxseeds and thus reap their full benefits, it is essential to break and/or blend them as their extremely hard outer part makes it impossible to digest them if swallowed whole.

At this point, let’s start kneading and wait for the house to fill with the unmistakable fragrance of freshly made bread. Watch the video recipe here.

Le pagnotte di pane nero con i semi di lino

The loaves of dark bread with linseeds

Flaxseed dark bread  

40.37g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 450g gluten free wholemeal bread flour mix, brand Massimo Zero**
  • 370g water
  • 40g linseeds* (soak in 100g water)
  • 20g extra virgin olive oil
  • 17g brewer’s yeast
  • 5g salt
  • brown rice flour* for dusting
  • extra virgin olive oil to brush the surface

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Soak the linseed in 100g of water, let it soak for about ten minutes and whisk it lightly.
  2. Pour the dark bread mix into the bowl of the planetary mixer, add the blended flaxseeds then mix for a few minutes at low speed.
  3. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the lukewarm water and pour into the planetary mixer. Mix at medium speed for about 5 minutes, then add salt and oil and mix for a few more minutes. When the dough is smooth and homogeneous, stop the planetary mixer and place the dough on a lightly floured cutting board.
  4. Again with the help of a little brown rice flour, flatten the dough slightly and let it rise, i.e. pre-rise, directly on the cutting board for about 15 minutes.
  5. With the help of a rasp, divide the dough into two parts, lightly roll each half to form a sort of cylinder and put it to rise in a rising basket in a warm place for about 1.5 hours.
  6. Once the bread has risen, tip the two loaves onto a baking tray covered with baking paper or a perforated silicone mat. Brush the surface with extra virgin olive oil, make a cross cut and bake in a static oven preheated to 230°C for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 200°C, then bake, leaving the bread in the oven for a further 35 minutes, checking the bread because the baking time varies slightly depending on the oven.
  7. Remove from the oven and let the bread cool before cutting it.

Version with gluten of Linseed dark bread

Replace the Massimo Zero wholemeal bread with Petra 9 flour or QB Multicereale flour and mix it with 300g water instead of 370g.

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Travelling to South America: Pao de queijo

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Pao de queijo or cheese bread is typical throughout South America, with some interesting regional variations that define its distinctiveness. The key element, however, is that it is prepared with naturally gluten free flours.

In many cases it is fried rather than baked, but it is always extremely rich and tasty, so much so that it can be eaten not only with other foods, but also on its own as a snack.

It is also extremely easy to prepare, so it can be a solution when we do not have the time to prepare a leavened bread. Another bread idea if you do not have time for leavening is this Yoghurt flat bread.

Pao de queijo

37.95g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 300g milk
  • 265g quinoa flour*
  • 150g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • 130g rice oil
  • 80g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 60g rice starch*
  • 2 eggs
  • 5g salt

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

Preparation

  1. Put the milk, oil and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, remove the pan from the heat and add all the starch and flours to the liquids, stirring with a wooden spoon: the mixture will be firm leaving the saucepan sides clean.
  2. Let the mixture cool, then add one egg at a time and finally the grated Parmesan cheese. Finish mixing the ingredients well by placing the dough on a cutting board and, when it is perfectly homogeneous, form into small loaves about 4 cm in diameter. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a static oven preheated to 180°C for about 30 minutes.
  3. Cheese bread can be eaten warm or cold.
ricetta-senza-glutine-pao-de-queijo-uno-chef-per-gaia

Cheese bread ready for a snack

Version with gluten of Pao de queijo

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

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Gluten-free olive buns

Bread represents the greatest challenge in the world of gluten free and the pleasure of variety of shapes and flavours is central to the experience. Olive buns are a moment of joy for us because they are one of my son Nicolò’s favourite breads and he loves them so much!

Olive buns are also perfect as a school snack or garden party, but they add a touch of flavour and colour to the bread basket that I love to put on the table whenever possible with as much variety as possible: white bread, dark bread seed bread, cheese bread and so on and so forth!

So, let’s knead!

Olive buns

43.5g carbohydrates per 100 g

Ingredients

  • 370g water
  • 250g pitted green and black olives
  • 220g flour mix for bread, brand Schär B**
  • 150g gluten-free flour, brand Revolution**
  • 150g flour mix for bread, brand Pedon Easyglut**
  • 20g extra virgin olive oil
  • 12g brewer’s yeast
  • 5g salt
  • extra virgin olive oil to brush the surface
  • rice flour* for dusting

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Place water and crumbled yeast in a bowl or food processor and stir for a few seconds to dissolve the yeast. Add all the flours, salt and oil, then knead until you have a homogeneous and firm mixture that can be rolled out with a rolling pin.
  2. Divide the mixture in half and roll out each half with the help of a little rice flour to form a rectangle about 40cm long and 25-30cm wide.
  3. Place the sliced green and black olives, slightly offset from the centre of the rectangle lengthwise. Cover the olives with the dough to form a roll.
  4. Cut the roll into pieces of about 10cm. Place them on a sheet of parchment paper, leaving them far enough apart to allow them to rise. Brush the surface with olive oil and leave to rise for at least 1 hour. Bake in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for 20 minutes.

panini-alle-olive-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Olive buns

Prepare the dough with 500g wheat flour and 250g water.

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Walnut dark bread

Gluten-free dark bread is always a feast at our place, but every time I like to enrich it with different touches of flavour. One of my favourite additions is nuts, which also allow us to take care of diabetes. That’s why we love Walnut dark bread.

In fact, when we combine a source of complex carbohydrates, as is the case with flour, the fibre from wholegrains and the good fats contained in nuts (walnuts in today’s recipe), the body’s absorption of sugars slows down significantly, helping to avoid blood sugar peaks, which are to be avoided not only in people with diabetes, but in general in all people to prevent the onset of diseases as the years go by.

Therefore, let us get into the habit of eating wholemeal foods as often as we can and when we bake bread, let us always try to vary it by adding sources of fibre and small amounts of good fats as this will not only make it tastier to the palate, but also more friendly to our well-being.

Are you ready to knead? Also try the Mixed leavening bread: it is going to be another great experience.

Walnut dark bread

41.72g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 450g flour mix for dark bread, brand Massimo Zero**
  • 380g water
  • 50g shelled walnuts
  • 30g extra virgin olive oil
  • 10g brewer’s yeast
  • extra virgin olive oil for the surface, rice flour* to form the bread

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. This recipe is very similar to the one written on the mix packet, but includes the addition of walnuts and a few differences in the process.
  2. Place the water and the crumbled yeast in a bowl, or in a food processor, and stir for a few seconds to dissolve the yeast. Add flour, oil and walnuts and knead until the mixture is smooth and firm.
  3. Dust a chopping board with rice flour and place the dough on it; again with the help of some flour, shape the mixture into a large cylinder and place it to rise in an elongated bread basket, or in a container that can hold the dough while it rises and give it the desired shape. Let it rest for about 1.5 hours, or until doubled in volume.
  4. Cover a baking tin with parchment paper, place the loaf of bread on it and brush the surface with olive oil. Bake in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for about 40 minutes.

Pane-nero-alle-noci-senza-glutine-ph-chiara-marando

Walnut dark bread

Version with gluten of Walnut dark bread

Replace the 450g of Massimo Zero dark bread flour with 450g of standard wholemeal flour, reducing the amount of water until the right dough texture is achieved.

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Loaf with raisins and walnuts

Today we felt like getting our hands covered with flour, kneading and smelling the unmistakable, irresistible scent of warm, freshly baked bread. That fragrant smell that fills the house with goodness and makes you want to share and enjoy good food. The recipe we propose is that of a homemade Loaf with raisins and walnuts, perfect to accompany a few slices of Parma ham, in a contrast between sweetness and savouriness, but also delicious with some jam. If you prefer a wholemeal bread, try my Dark bread with flaxseeds.

Well, let’s knead!

Loaf with raisins and walnuts

47.78g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 350g flour mix for bread, brand Nutrifree**
  • 350g water
  • 70g flour mix for bread, brand Fibrepan Farmo**
  • 60g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 50g shelled walnuts
  • 30g raisins
  • 20g chia seeds* (to be soaked in 50g water)
  • 20g extra virgin olive oil
  • 12g brewer’s yeast
  • extra virgin olive oil for the surface, rice flour* to form the bread

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Place the chia seeds in a container with 50g water and wait about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, so that a kind of mucilage forms. Meanwhile, place the remaining water and the crumbled yeast in a bowl or a food processor and stir for a few seconds to dissolve the yeast. Add the flours, chia mucilage, oil, walnuts and raisins, then knead until the mixture is smooth and firm.
  2. Dust a chopping board with rice flour and place the dough on it; again with the help of a dusting of flour, shape the mixture into a large cylinder and place it in an elongated bread basket or in a container that can hold the dough while it rises and give it the desired shape. Let rise for about 1.5 hours or until doubled in volume.
  3. Cover a baking tin with parchment paper, place the loaf of bread on it and brush the surface with olive oil. Bake in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for about 40 minutes.

filone-uvetta-noci-senza-glutine-ph-chiara-marando

Loaf with raisins and walnuts

Version with gluten of Loaf with raisins and walnuts

Replace the 420g of Nutrifree and Farmo flours with a standard bread flour of your choice and reduce the amount of water to about 270g.

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Vegetable buns

Today the topic is leavened products and, more specifically, gluten-free Vegetable buns, so a tasty bread that can also be enjoyed on its own, because it is extremely tasty and pleasant.

The only downside: one bite leads to another!

Ready to get your hands in the dough to prepare some soft and fragrant Vegetable buns?
Let’s get started!

Vegetable buns

54.57g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 1 kg flour mix for bread and pizza, brand Molino Dallagiovanna**
  • 700g water
  • 175g mixed vegetables already sautéed (courgette, carrot, spring onion, pepper)
  • 25g chia seeds (soaked in 60 g water)
  • 12g brewer’s yeast
  • 10g salt
  • oil for brushing the surface, salt for vegetables, rice flour for dusting*

** Ingredients specific for celiacs

Preparation

  1. In a non-stick pan, cook a mixture of vegetables cut into strips or chunks, adding a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Brown.
  2. In a planetary mixer or bowl, mix all the ingredients for the bread, add the cooked vegetables and continue kneading to obtain an even mixture. Dust a cutting board with rice flour and put the dough on it; let it rest, i.e. pre-rise, for about 15-20 minutes.
  3. With the help of a metal scraper, form rectangular pieces of dough, place them on baking tins covered with parchment paper and let them rise for about 2 hours.
  4. When the rolls are nice and puffy and have doubled in volume, brush them with oil and bake them in a static oven preheated to 200°C for about 30 minutes.

panini-alle-verdure-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Vegetable buns

Replace the gluten-free Molino Dallagiovanna flour with an equal amount of wheat flour and mix with 500g water.

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