Tag Archive for: naturally gluten free

Gluten-free Pumpkin Bounty Bars

As the holiday season approaches, the desire to prepare simple yet impressive desserts grows—little treats to enjoy with a cup of tea or delightful bites to bring to the table and surprise family and friends. These gluten-free Pumpkin Bounty Bars are an easy and quick recipe, perfect for anyone looking for a Christmas sweet that brings together flavour, lightness, and a touch of festive colour.

Pumpkin, with its natural sweetness and creamy texture, makes each bite soft and comforting, while ricotta adds balance and lightness. The desiccated coconut completes the magic with its fresh, exotic note. The result? Small 25-gram treats—indulgent yet nutritionally balanced—ideal for a snack or as a mini dessert at the end of a meal.

Coated in dark chocolate and decorated with almonds, raisins, or candied orange peel, these Pumpkin Bounty Bars bring a charming mix of colours and aromas to your holiday table. They’re perfect for creating a Christmas dessert corner, enriching a festive buffet, or offering as a thoughtful homemade gift.

An inclusive, naturally gluten-free recipe that celebrates autumn flavours and the magic of Christmas with simplicity and creativity.

ilaria-bertinelli-bounty-alla-zucca

Pumpkin Bounty Bars

24.4 g carbohydrates per 100 g (without decorations)
6.1 g carbohydrates per 1 pumpkin bounty

Ingredients

  • 200 g ricotta cheese
  • 80 g desiccated grated coconut*
  • 70 g cooked pumpkin, already cleaned
  • 40 g icing sugar*
  • 150 g dark chocolate

Ingredients to decorate

  • Almonds, raisins, and orange peel

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mash the cooked pumpkin with a fork or blend it until smooth.
  2. Soften the ricotta in a bowl, then add the icing sugar, pumpkin purée, and finally the desiccated coconut.
  3. Shape the mixture into 25-gram bars, place them on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave and let it cool slightly.
  5. Dip each coconut bar into the chocolate to coat it completely, lay it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and decorate with raisins, almonds, or orange peel.
  6. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

ilaria-bertinelli-bounty-alla-zucca

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Snow peas, asparagus and fruit: June salads

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As summer officially begins on 21st June, June salads will delight us with the addition of seasonal fruit.

Asparagus continues to be present, which we can enjoy with a mouth-watering cheese cream and plums for a salad that also becomes a green all-in-one dish, great to take to the office or to the pool in a convenient lunch box.

My salad with cooked vegetables features snow peas accompanied by carrots, but above all by the contrast of the sweetness of the figs and the saltiness of the crispy Prosciutto di Parma: as an appetiser, main course or as a one-course meal, the Salad of snow peas and figs will win you over with its explosion of flavours.

The tip I want to share with June salads is the use of spray oil, a very interesting way to dress our dishes. Why?

For two main reasons: the first is that we will use up to 90 per cent less oil for dressing, thus significantly reducing the calorie intake of the salads themselves; the second is that in the canned bag of Fratelli Mantova the oil is stored in the dark and protected from the air, thus guaranteeing ideal preservation.

My choice for these salads is avocado oil containing 100% oil extracted from the pulp of the avocado fruit, rich in vitamin E, with a light and delicate taste and texture.

For more ideas, see also the reinforced salads of May.

Asparagus and plum salad

carbohydrates 7.76g for 1 serving

insalata-di-asparagi-e-prugne

Ingredients for 1 salad

  • 3-4 asparagus
  • 50g plums
  • 30g soy milk*
  • 30g Ricotta cheese
  • 20g Robiola cheese
  • shelled pistachios
  • 1 lemon with edible zest
  • Fratelli Mantova’s avocado oil
  • salt and pepper

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

Preparation

  1. With a mandoline, slice the asparagus into ribbons and marinate them for at least 15 minutes with a teaspoon of lemon juice, salt, pepper and a splash of avocado oil.
  2. Prepare a cream by mixing ricotta, robiola, grated lemon peel and a grinding of pepper.
  3. Assemble the salad by placing the asparagus ribbons in a salad bowl, the cheese cream, the plums cut into wedges and a sprinkling of shelled pistachios.

insalata-di-asparagi-e-prugne

Snow pea and fig salad

carbohydrates 9.58g for 1 serving

insalata-di-taccole-e-fichi

Ingredients for 1 serving

Preparation

  1. Slice the carrots into ribbons using a mandoline, season them with lemon juice, salt, pepper and a splash of avocado oil, then allow to rest for the time needed to prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Boil the snow peas in boiling salted water until cooked but still firm. Plunge them into cold water, then drain immediately.
  3. Place the Prosciutto slice on a plate and let it crisp up in the microwave or in a non-stick frying pan: in the microwave, set the oven on low power for short periods of time until the desired crispiness is reached; in the frying pan, do not grease the bottom and cook on low heat until crispy.
  4. Assemble the salad by placing the snow beans on the bottom of the salad bowl, the carrot ribbons and a well-washed fig cut into wedges, season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a splash of avocado oil, then finish by adding the crispy prosciutto slice.

insalata-di-taccole-e-fichi

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Three 5-minute salads

I love salads and am constantly thinking of new combinations that can be prepared with tasty ingredients in a very short time, so here’s how to prepare Three 5-minute salads.

Each of these salads will delight both the eyes and the palate, and as they are ready in a matter of minutes, you can indulge yourself and prepare all 3 in case you want to use them for a complete dinner instead of just a side dish.

Follow me not to run short of ideas for everyday cooking and have a look at my Lentil and chickpea burgers to discover a solution for your lunches away from home.

Tre-insalate-da-5-minuti

Treviso radicchio salad

5g carbohydrates for 1 serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 1/2 tuft of Treviso radicchio
  • 40g pear
  • 2 shelled walnuts
  • slivers of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Cut the Treviso radicchio into small pieces and put them in a salad or soup dish.
  2. Add the Parmesan slivers, the sliced pear and the walnut kernels slightly broken up using your hands.
  3. Complete with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

insalata-di-trevigiano

Aromatic cabbage and carrot salad

14g carbohydrates for 1 serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 1 handful of thinly sliced white cabbage
  • 1 handful of thinly sliced purple cabbage
  • 1 carrot (mine was 80g)
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard*
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup*
  • 1 tablespoon apple vinegar
  • sunflower seeds
  • pumpking seeds
  • 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. Cut the cabbage using a slicer or by hand so that it is very thin and grate the carrot into julienne.
  2. Prepare the aromatic dressing by mixing mustard, maple syrup, apple vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
  3. Place the sliced cabbage and carrot in a deep dish, then drizzle with the dressing and top with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

insalata-di-cappucci-aromatica

Chickpea salad with pink chicory

13.9g carbohydrates for 1 serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 1/2 tuft of pink chicory
  • 100g cooked chickpeas
  • 30g avocado
  • lemon juice
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparatio

  1. Cut the pink chicory leaves and place them in a salad or soup dish.
  2. Top them with the cooked chickpeas and sliced avocado.
  3. Drizzle with a little lemon juice and complete the seasoning with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

 

Insalata-di-ceci-e-radicchio-rosa-mantovano

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Ideas for out-of-home meals: Red rice salad with avocado cream

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Ideas for out-of-home meals are always good because we increasingly eat lunch away from our kitchens. What does our lunch box contain today? An appetising Red rice salad with avocado cream.

Red rice is a wholemeal alternative to white rice, thus an excellent substitute, rich in flavour and, above all, fibre. In this lunch box you will find it paired with a tasty cream of avocado, a fruit rich in antioxidants and cholesterol-friendly mono-unsaturated fatty acids, and a vegetable salad enriched with the Omega 3 of tuna.

Here then is how you can prepare it for another good and satisfying lunch.

Follow me not to run short of ideas for out-of-home meals! And if you are looking for meals with a lower amount of carbs, try my Roastbeef with aubergine cream.

Red rice salad with avocado cream

51.72g carbohydrates for the whole lunch box

Ingredients for 1 lunch box

  • 60g Basmati rice
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 40g drained tuna
  • 40g iceberg lettuce
  • 30g fat free Greek yoghurt
  • 30g carrots
  • 30g pitted green olives
  • lemon juice
  • parsley
  • 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. Boil the red rice in lightly salted water, possibly making sure that the rice completely absorbs the liquid. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little oil.
  2. Mash half an avocado in a bowl and add Greek yoghurt, season with parsley, salt and pepper.
  3. Prepare the salad by cutting iceberg lettuce into strips, grate the carrots, add the pitted olives and dress with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Fill the lunch box by placing the red rice in one of the containers with the drained tuna and the avocado cream, while placing the vegetable salad in the second container. Close it up and take it with you!

riso rosso con crema di avocado

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Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction

I have already introduced you to the black cherry liqueur Ratafià by the artisan company Scuppoz so today you will discover the second liqueur I love to use in the kitchen, namely the liquorice liqueur which I propose in this Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction, which is also lactose-free.

Liquorice is Abruzzo’s black gold. In the past, this root was given to children instead of candies because it was just as sweet and available in nature along the paths from the mountains down to the sea.

Scuppoz Liquorice Liqueur is produced in a completely artisan way by infusing liquorice roots, which give the liqueur an unmistakable and harmonious flavour (here you can find the AIC rules for choosing gluten-free liqueurs). The ideal temperature for enjoying this liqueur is the refrigerator temperature, as is also the case in my recipe in which, however, we no longer have alcohol in order to serve it to children too!

Follow Scuppoz’s news on social media (https://www.instagram.com/scuppoz_spirits/ ): you won’t regret it!

panna cotta alle mandorle

Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction

41.35g carbohydrates per 100g of Panna cotta without liquorice reduction

Ingredients for 4-5 servings

  • 200g vegetable cream*
  • 150g almond milk*
  • 70g sugar
  • 8g gelatine sheets*

Ingredients for the liquorice reduction

  • Scuppoz liquorice liqueur*

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

 Preparation

  1. Soak the gelatine in cold water.
  2. Put almond milk, vegetable cream and sugar on the stove to heat.
  3. Wring the gelatine and add it to the mixture over the heat so that it melts, then stir well and remove from the heat.
  4. Fill moulds of the desired shape, then place them in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the mixture solidifies.
  5. Prepare the liquorice liquor reduction. Put the desired amount in a small pan and when it comes to the boil, let it reduce for a few minutes, then allow it to cool completely. You can decide to put it in the refrigerator until the momento of serving.
  6. Remove the Panna cotta from the moulds and place it directly on the serving plate, then douse it with the liquorice liqueur.

panna cotta alle mandorle

Version with gluten of Almond panna cotta with liquorice reduction

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

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Prawns with cream of Cannellini beans flavoured with Ratafià

Today I want to take you on a trip to the mountains of the Abruzzo region to discover artisan liqueurs created, as if by magic, by a family of nature and food lovers, which I want to propose to you in this recipe, also lactose-free, to prepare my Prawns with cream of Cannellini beans flavoured with Ratafià.

Artisan liqueurs in the kitchen

Let me introduce the liqueurs by the Scuppoz company starting with the name. The term ‘Scuppoz’ is an onomatopoeic word from Abruzzo that sounds like glasses clinking for toasting and celebrating, but today, Scuppoz is an artisan company that produces liqueurs using what the land of the mountains has to offer: wild herbs, berries and a lot of creative energy.

Before I met the Scuppoz liqueurs, I met Anna, the irrepressible wife of the second generation of herb alchemists whose passion in telling about the battles and challenges of making liqueurs in the hostile mountains of Abruzzo conquered me to the point that I couldn’t but find out about these ‘strong and gentle spirits’, as the motto of the ‘Medicinette’ liqueur collection reads.

Le "Medicinette" dell'azienda Scuppoz

The “Medicinette” collecion by Scuppoz

Ratafià: black cherry liqueur from the hills and Montepulciano wine

For my recipe, I chose the black cherry liqueur Ratafià made with black cherries from the hills and Montepulciano wine, ingredients that give the liqueur a powerful structure. Scuppoz Ratafià can be enjoyed by people with coeliac disease because it is prepared only with red wine, sour cherry juice and alcohol, i.e. without the addition of flavourings (here you will find the AIC rules for choosing gluten-free liqueurs).

Where does the name Ratafià come from? From the Latin expression‘ut rata fiat’, let the deed be ratified, because it was customary to drink this liqueur (prepared by women, but drunk mostly by men) immediately after signing a notarial contract to sanction its validity.

Scuppoz liqueurs are a journey of aromas, flavours and mountain stories, which I have brought to you in this recipe so that even the little ones at home can fully enjoy the experience without taking the alcoholic part for which they will have to wait a while!

And remember to follow Anna’s adventures on social media (https://www.instagram.com/scuppoz_spirits/ ): you won’t regret it!

gamberi con crema di cannellini al ratafia

Prawns with cream of Cannellini beans flavoured with Ratafià

14.10g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 400g red onion from Acquaviva delle Fonti (or Tropea onion)
  • 400g cooked chickpeas
  • 8 prawn tails
  • 2 shallots
  • vegetable stock
  • Ratafià – Scuppoz black cherry liqueur*
  • 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. Slice the red onion and brown it in a non-stick pan with a little oil for a few minutes, then cover with vegetable stock and let it cook without browning.
  2. When the onion is soft and the stock has evaporated, deglaze with 4-5 tablespoons of Ratafià, add salt and pepper and let the liquor thicken for a few minutes, then turn off the heat.
  3. Prepare the Cannellini cream. Put the chopped shallot in a non-stick pan, let it brown, then add the cooked Cannellini beans and let them season for about 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer the Cannellini beans to a blender, add the necessary amount of stock to obtain a thick cream and blend. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Transfer the onion cooked in Ratafià to a bowl so that you can use the frying pan to cook the prawns: leaving the cooking juices of the onion, cook the prawn tails for a maximum of 2 minutes on each side.
  6. Now assemble the dish: with a ring, form a disc of Cannelli cream, place the Ratafià flavoured onion on top, then 2 prawns and finish with a grinding of pepper and a very light drizzle of oil.

gamberi con crema di cannellini al ratafia

Version with gluten of Prawns with cream of Cannellini beans flavoured with Ratafià

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

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Lunch box ideas: Chicken salad with apples and string beans

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Here come more ideas for out-of-home meals to be carried in our lunch box for eating at work or at school.  This is a recipe for a Chicken salad with a very low carb content to be thus completed with a source of healthy carbs.

This tasty lunch box contains very few carbs therefore remember to add a slice of wholemeal bread to and a fruits in season for a balanced nutritional intake.  And remember that this Chicken salad with apples and green beans can be a good solution in every season.

This is where we found our LUNCH BOX.

Are you running short of ideas for out-of-home meals! And if you are looking for a lunch with a higher amount of carbs, try my Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli.

Chicken salad with apples and string beans

8.4g carbohydrates for the whole lunch box

Ingredients for 1 lunch box

  • 180g chicken (this will weigh about 130g once cooked)
  • 60g iceberg lettuce
  • 50g string beans
  • 50g tuna in oil
  • 50g apples
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • Tabasco
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • parsley
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (in Italy they may be listed on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Grill the chicken, then cut it into strips and flavour with some drops of Tabasco, salt, pepper, a dribble of extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley.
  2. Boil the string beans and throw them in cold water as soon as they are cooked.
  3. Put the lettuce cut into strips in a bowl, add the apples, sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent the apple from becoming dark, add some tuna fillets in pieces and dress with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Complete the lunch box dressing the chicken with string beans in pieces, a dribble of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper as needed.

Insalata di pollo

Version with gluten of Chicken salad with apples and string beans 

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

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Lunch box ideas: Venere rice salad with cherry tomatoes and pistachio nuts

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Are you looking for new ideas for out-of-home meals at the office or university? Here is an easy recipe for a tasty and healthy Venere rice salad for a meal to take with you.

For our kids who need to eat gluten free and to count the carbohydrates contained in the meal, the lunch box is the perfect solution to travel, but the question is: what can I cook that can be quick and easy to carry? One of the many answers is this Venere rice salad with cherry tomatoes and pistachio nuts.

This is where we found our LUNCH BOX.

Follow me not to run short of ideas for out-of-home meals! E non perderti il Roastbeef con crema di melanzane.

Venere rice salad with cherry tomatoes and pistachio nuts

60.2g carbohydrates for the whole lunch box

Ingredients for 1 lunch box

  • 120g cherry tomatoes
  • 70g Venere rice (Italian black rice) (weight when cooked 140g)
  • 15g Pecorino cheese
  • 15g shelled pistachios, unsalted
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • mint and basil
  • oregano
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (in Italy they may be listed on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Boil the rice in plenty of slightly salted boiling water and, if you don’t have time, choose a pre-cooked Venere rice that will be ready in a few minutes.
  2. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half placing the cut side on the tin lined with parchment paper; sprinkle with salt, oregano and extra virgin olive oil. Put them in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes or anyway until they start caramelising.
  3. Coarsely grate the Pecorino cheese and slightly chop the pistachio nuts.
  4. Dress the Venere rice with the roasted tomatoes with their juice, grated Pecorino, pistachio nuts and chopped mint and basil adjusting salt, if needed.

Riso venere con pomodorini e pistacchi

Version with gluten of Venere rice salad with cherry tomatoes and pistachio nuts

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

 

 

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Lunch box ideas: Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli

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Are you looking for more ideas for your out-of-home lunch? Eating out is indispensable not only for those who work, but also for those who study, so the time has come to share some recipes for your lunch box or for what Japanese people call “bento“… Well, many ideas for lunch boxes that are complete, balanced and tasty to take with you on every occasion.

So, for our young ones going to university and having to eat gluten free and to count carbohydrates easily, the lunch box is a faithful travel mate that contributes to turning the lunch break into a joyful moment.

We found the perfect lunch box for our needs at our friend’s store “I love my house” whom I always ask for help when I am looking for equipment and kitchen solutions: here is where you can find our LUNCH BOX.

This is the beginning of a project that is very dear to me because lunch is a key meal, especially for out kids and we cannot allow ourselves to run short of ideas!

Stay tuned for many more fantastic recipes! Meanwhile, have a look at my Coronation pasta salad.

Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli

85.91g carbohydrates for the whole lunch box

Ingredients for 1 lunch box

  • 110g broccoli florets
  • 100g boiled chickpeas
  • 70g Massimo Zero Organic Pipe**
  • 15g dried apricots
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • paprika
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • parsley
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (in Italy they may be listed on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Boil pasta al dente in salted boiling water, drain and dress it with a dribble of extra virgin olive oil leaving the pasta to cool down.
  2. Blend 70g chickpeas with about 50g water, lemon juice, salt and pepper and a dribble of oil to obtain a cream.
  3. Dress the remaining chickpeas with paprika, pepper and oil to taste, together with blanched broccoli florets.
  4. Season the pasta with the chickpea and broccoli mixture, then add the dried apricots cut in pieces and pour everything in the lunch box.
  5. Put the chickpea cream in the second container or on the pasta completing with a dusting of chopped parsley and a dribble of oil.  Mix well before eating.

Version with gluten of Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli 

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten; however, if you want, you can replace Massimo Zero corn and rice pasta with a durum wheat alternative.

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Tomato Bruschetta sauce

If you want to surprise your friends with simplicity, this Tomato Bruschetta sauce can be an idea: with 3 ingredients and the aromatic herbs from your garden, you can have a topping that is as irresistible as cherries!

With so few ingredients, the secret for success is their quality and especially peeled tomatoes make the difference. My recommendation is for you to try Ciro Flagella Peeled Tomatoes that you will never forget after trying once.  Then, if you really want a treat, prepare 2 sauces following the same procedure, but using red tomatoes for one sauce and yellow tomatoes for the other: it will be like having a cone of Gelato with two scoops of your favourite flavours.

For a perfect Bruschetta sauce, remember to remove all the seeds from the peeled tomatoes and avoid pieces of aromatic herbs: use a specific bag or container for the herbs so that they can release their essential oils, but not lose leaves or seeds.

And if you have time to chop some extra shallot, make some extra sauce and store it in a jar in the refrigerator to serve with starters or main courses.

ingredienti

Tomato Bruschetta sauce

6.6g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 500g peeled tomatoes
  • 150g shallot
  • 50g extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 bunch of aromatic herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, summer savoury)
  • extra virgin olive oil, chilli pepper, garlic, salt

Preparation of the Bruschetta sauce

  1. Cut the peeled tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and dice the flesh.  Chop the shallot finely and sweat it with 50g olive oil, then add the diced tomato, the garlic and the aromatic herbs bouquet in a bag or colander so that it just releases its aroma.
  2. Allow to cook over low heat until the tomato has become creamy and the liquid has completely evaporated, therefore at least 1 hour.
  3. Use the sauce to top Bruschettas or with meat or fish.

salsa di pomodori gialli

Version with gluten of Tomato Bruschetta sauce 

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

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