gluten free Italian – Page 2 – My Gluten Free Cucina

Gluten Free Italian Wedding Soup

This soup takes me back more than 60 years, to my Italian grandmother’s kitchen. As a child, she would make this for me all the time. So many little meatballs! I was only nine years old when she passed away, but the flavors of this soup are etched in my mind.

This post contains affiliate links.

Of course, those tiny meatballs are the star of the recipe. My younger self most definitely did not appreciate the love that went into making them! Those tender little bites are what I remember best, so for my gluten free recreation I used ground veal. Just one taste and I knew I had made the right choice!

Note ♪ If ground veal is not available, substitute ground beef, pork, turkey, etc.

Believe it or not, there were only 2 ingredient swaps needed to make Italian Wedding Soup gluten free. First, the breadcrumbs. I am a big fan of Aleia’s gluten free seasoned breadcrumbs, and they were perfect in the meatballs. Second, the soup pasta. I was thrilled to find Gluten Free Acini de Pepe at Bella Italia Food Store this year. It is close to the pastina shape that my grandmother would have used, and you really can’t tell that it’s gluten free!

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs

8 oz. ground veal
1/4 cup gluten free seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 tsp. Tuscan seasoning
olive oil

For the Soup

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
4 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
32 oz. carton gluten free chicken broth
2 cups chicken or turkey stock
6 oz. gluten free soup pasta
6 oz. bag baby spinach
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan for serving

Preparation:

Combine the first 5 meatball ingredients (everything but the olive oil) in a bowl and mix well with your hands.

Use a half teaspoon to form tiny little meatballs, about 3/4″ diameter. Roll them between your palms and set them on a plate or sheet of waxed paper.

Heat a nonstick skillet with a little olive oil and brown the meatballs for just a few minutes over medium low heat. Don’t crowd the pan, cook the meatballs in batches if needed.

Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the meatballs and drain them on a plate lined with paper towels.

Note ♪ You can prepare the soup up to this point the night before, just refrigerate the meatballs and continue with the recipe when ready.

For the soup, add the onions, celery and carrots to a soup pot with a little olive oil. Stir until the veggies begin to release their liquid, then add the garlic and cook one minute longer.

Add the broth, stock and seasonings. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Cook the pasta separately, according to package directions.

Turn off the heat. Add the baby spinach and stir to wilt.

Return the meatballs to the pot to warm through.

Drain and rinse the pasta under warm water and add it to the soup.

I find that gluten free soup pasta can be gummy, so it is best cooked separately, drained and rinsed to remove some of that starch.

Serve with finely grated cheese, use the good stuff!

This soup was just the thing for a cold winter evening! It would be a wonderful first course for a holiday dinner.

Friends, I hope you enjoyed this post! I know that my grandmother would be so pleased that I made this soup in her memory.

Be sure and check out some of my other Gluten Free Soups as well as some helpful links on where to find Gluten Free Soup Pasta.

Notes ♪♫ In some recipes for Italian Wedding Soup, the raw meatballs are dropped right into the soup. I like the extra flavor you get from browning, and it removes some of the fat at the same time.

Print This Post

Gluten Free Gnocchi with Chicken and Roasted Cauliflower

Look at this beautiful tray of gnocchi! Would you believe it’s gluten free? It is so good to know that we can still enjoy some of our favorite meals, minus the gluten! This dish features fresh homemade gnocchi, one of my favorite pasta shapes, tossed in a flavorful skillet of chicken, sausage and cauliflower.

This post contains affiliate links.

4 servings

For the gnocchi:

140 g. gluten free all-purpose flour (see notes)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1.5 tsp. olive oil

When you shop Better Batter and use my (affiliate) code MGFC30 at checkout, you will receive 30% off any non-sale item!

CLICK HERE to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to try the flour that I call my little miracle in a bag!

OR

105 g. brown rice flour
35 g. tapioca starch
1-1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1.5 tsp. olive oil

For the skillet:

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1/2 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 lb. boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-1/2″ pieces
1/2 lb. gluten free Italian chicken sausage, sliced into coins
gluten free Italian seasoning
3 tbsp. white rice flour
salt and pepper
gluten free chicken broth
grated cheese (I used Romano)
fresh Italian parsley for garnish

Preparation:

To make the pasta, whisk together the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together the eggs and olive oil and add to the flour mixture. With the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until a soft dough forms (about 1 minute).

Press the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest 10 minutes.

Lightly flour your work surface and gnocchi board. Use a bench knife to divide the dough into 4 even pieces. Work with one piece at a time and keep the rest covered so that it doesn’t dry out. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope about 3/4″ wide.

Use the bench knife to cut the rope into 1/2″ pieces.

To form the ridges, roll each piece over the gnocchi board using your thumb, a butter knife or bench knife. Keep the board and your fingers floured to prevent the gnocchi from sticking.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and flour lightly. Place the finished gnocchi on the baking sheet. If not using right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

*Always follow food safety guidelines, pasta made with fresh eggs should be refrigerated within 1 hour.

Now it’s time to finish the dish! Cut the chicken into 1.5″ cubes and toss with 3 tbsp. rice flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the vegetables.

Dice the onion, zucchini and cauliflower. Slice the sausage into coins. Toss the veggies and sausage with olive oil and Italian seasoning. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes at 400º. Roasting the veggies adds so much flavor to the dish, don’t skip this step!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Begin browning the floured chicken in a little olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turning several times to get good color on all sides.

When the chicken is almost done, cook the pasta. Cover the pot if needed, to keep the water at a boil. Remember fresh pasta cooks quickly, 3-4 minutes is all it takes! It will float to the top when done.

Add the roasted sausage and veggies to the skillet with a little chicken broth, folding gently with a spatula as the liquid begins to thicken.

Use a spider strainer to gently lift the cooked pasta out of the water and add it to the skillet. If too dry, add a bit more chicken broth or a ladle of the pasta water. Toss gently and continue cooking 1-2 more minutes to get a little browning on the gnocchi.

Transfer to a serving platter and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, grated cheese and Italian parsley.

Just look at this amazing pasta dinner, all from scratch and its gluten free! It is SO delicious and leftovers are just as good!

Notes ♪♫ This post, first published in 2018 was long overdue for an update. My original pasta dough was made with brown rice flour and tapioca starch. I’ve since found that a good all-purpose gluten free flour can work just as well. I have made this recipe several times with Better Batter Original Blend. If you use a different brand, be sure that your flour contains xanthan gum. If not, you will need to add it to help your dough hold together without crumbling or tearing.

Original post 06/17/2018 Updated 01/20/2022

Print This Post

Gluten Free Pappardelle Pasta

Making pasta from scratch is a labor of love, and something I haven’t done in a very long time. In fact, since my Celiac diagnosis in 2017, I have primarily used box pasta in my recipes. Not that that’s a bad thing, as we have so many great options today. But fresh pasta is such a treat!

So, this past weekend, it felt really good to get out the KitchenAid and make these beautiful Pappardelle noodles. If you are gluten free and missing fresh pasta, this recipe is one you must have in your collection!

This post contains affiliate links.

Although you can make pasta entirely by hand, there are some helpful tools you can buy to make the job easier. Here are a few that I used in this recipe.

It takes minutes to make dough in a stand mixer, and I used the pasta roller attachment to create sheets of pasta.

As KitchenAid has yet to make a cutter attachment for Pappardelle, I used a pastry cutter. It can be adjusted to cut pasta sheets into perfectly even strips, especially helpful if you want to make a wider noodle like Pappardelle.

I used a pasta drying rack to hang my noodles. This rack has been in my kitchen for many years BC (before Celiac). So, I covered the wooden arms with plastic wrap to prevent any gluten contamination. Looks like I will be ordering a new rack, or two!

I made a small batch of just 2 servings for this post. Dinner was so delicious, next time I will make more! The recipe can be scaled, to make a dinner for two or a family size platter. I give you the measurements below for 2, 4, 6 and 8 servings.

Ingredients:

gluten free flour blend (I used, and recommend Better Batter)
olive oil
salt
eggs
egg yolks

*SHOP BETTER BATTER AND USE MY CODE MGFC30 FOR 30% OFF YOUR NON-SALE PURCHASE!

INGREDIENTS:	2 Servings	4 Servings	6 Servings	8 Servings
Better Batter Flour	70 G	140 G	210 G	280 G
Olive oil	3/4 tsp.	1-1/2 tsp.	2-1/4 tsp.	3 tsp.
Salt	1/8 tsp.	1/4 tsp.	3/8 tsp.	1/2 tsp.
Egg	1 large	2 large	3 large	4 large
Egg Yolk	1	2	3	4

Preparation:

Egg yolks give the pasta a silky rich texture and beautiful color. Begin by separating the eggs. Reserve the whites for another use.

Combine all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Weigh the flour, accuracy is important! I used (and recommend) Better Batter Original Gluten Free Flour to make the pasta dough. Results may differ if you use another brand, or you may need to adjust the measurements.

Pat the dough into a ball and sprinkle with flour. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into sections. For this 2 serving batch, I divided the dough into 4 pieces (adjust if you are making more). Then take one section at a time and press into a disc.

Use a rolling pin or a pasta roller to roll each disc into a long thin sheet. If using a pasta roller, remember that gluten free dough is more delicate and prone to tearing than wheat dough, so you will not be able to roll it as thin. Sprinkle the dough with extra flour as you pass it through the roller to help avoid sticking and breakage. I was able to roll mine out to the 3rd setting.

Lay the pasta sheets on lightly floured wax paper. Use a knife or pizza wheel to cut the sheets into 3/4″ ribbons. I used a pastry cutter to create perfectly even strips.

Separate the noodles and hang to dry for up to one hour. They are best enjoyed immediately, but you can refrigerate if you are not ready to cook.

IMPORTANT: Always follow food safety guidelines. Egg pasta should be refrigerated within one hour and frozen if you need to store it for more than one day.

I always make my sauce first, so it’s ready when I finish making the pasta.

When it’s GO time, fill a large pot with water, salt generously and bring to a rolling boil. Add the pappardelle with just a drop of olive oil, stir well and cover so that the water returns quickly to a full boil. Cook for about 3 minutes, pasta will float to the top when it’s done. Remember fresh pasta cooks quickly, be careful not to overcook!

Use a spider strainer to gently remove and drain the pappardelle and arrange on a serving dish.

Toss with sauce, and grated cheese.

Notes ♪♫ Pappardelle pairs perfectly with rich, meaty sauces like Bolognese. Learn how to make a Traditional Bolognese Sauce in this post!

Print This Post

Spinach and Ricotta Beef Rolls

I’m a little obsessed with bundled meat recipes! I love making Bracciole, a family favorite that takes me back to my mother’s kitchen. A few weeks ago I made these Italian Skirt Steak Rolls and wow, they were a hit! For today’s entrée, thin slices of beef are rolled and stuffed with a spinach ricotta filling. The rolls are then wrapped in prosciutto and baked. The meat was so tender, this meal would be a wonderful choice for date night or a small dinner party.

Ingredients:

5 oz. bag baby spinach
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. prosciutto, thin sliced
1 lb. top round cut into 1/4″ thin slices.
1 tbsp. honey
fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet with a lid. Cut the garlic clove in half and add to the oil, cut side down. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat to infuse the oil with garlic flavor.

Add all of the spinach to the skillet. It looks like a lot but it will cook down. Cover and cook for 10 minutes total, stirring after 5 minutes.

What did I tell you? 😉

Cool the spinach slightly then stir it into the ricotta (discard the garlic). Season with fresh ground pepper.

Cover your work surface with wax paper or plastic wrap. Lay out the beef slices and spread the spinach ricotta mixture over each one.

Starting at the short end, roll the slices up into a bundle.

Next wrap up each meat bundle in 1-2 slices of prosciutto.

Place the bundles in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Bake the meat rolls for 30 minutes, or to when the internal temperature reaches 145º for medium. Check the internal temperature with a thermometer.

Brush the tops with honey during the last 5 minutes of baking. Cover and cool slightly before slicing.

Of course, you can just dig right in 🙂

But if you can wait for the bundles to set for 10 minutes you will really see the beautiful spirals of meat when you slice it. Leftovers were even better the next day!

Notes ♪♫ I hope you loved this recipe as much as we did! Check out some of my other bundled meat recipes, not only for beef, but chicken and fish too! Bracciole, Italian Skirt Steak Rolls, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Crab Stuffed Sole.

Print This Post

Gluten Free Chicken Tenders Saltimbocca

Saltimbocca is one of those restaurant classics that I have had on my recipe bucket list. It can be made with chicken or veal; I’ve even had it as an appetizer with jumbo shrimp! Today though, I’m going with something a bit humbler. I’m using chicken tenders, easy on the pocketbook and easy on the prep! Each tender is wrapped in prosciutto with a beautiful fresh sage leaf tucked in. The bundles are then simmered in a simple sauce made with shallots, chicken broth, lemon and wine.

The inspiration for this post was a beautiful pot of sage from my herb garden. I’m really proud that I grew it from seed!

Fresh sage is really the star of this dish, really different than dried! If you don’t have an herb garden look for it at the market.

This post contains affiliate links.

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken tenders, 5-6 pieces
fresh ground pepper
fresh sage leaves, whole plus 2 tbsp. minced
6 slices of prosciutto, or 1 per tender
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 tsp. corn starch
1/2 cup gluten free lower sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
juice of 1/2 lemon
remaining half lemon, cut into wedges for serving

Preparation:

Line your counter with wax paper and lay out the prosciutto slices. Place one whole sage leaf on the lower half of each slice.

Place one chicken tender on each sage leaf. Sprinkle with the minced sage and fresh ground pepper.

Roll each into a bundle.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tbsp. each of butter and olive oil. Place the bundles seam side down in the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes, turning halfway through. See how searing the prosciutto has sealed the bundles, no toothpicks or twine needed!

Transfer the tenders to a platter while you make the sauce.

Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet and stir in the shallots. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the corn starch for about 30 seconds. Stream in the broth and the wine. Bring to a simmer, then finish with the butter, lemon juice and parsley. When the butter has melted, return the chicken to the skillet. Toss with the sauce, then cover and cook several minutes longer to heat through.

Transfer to a serving dish and spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh sage and lemon wedges.

I served it with roasted potato slices and sugar snap peas. So simple and delicious, as good as any restaurant! Isn’t it great that we can still enjoy this traditional Italian favorite on the gluten free diet?

Notes ♪♫ In addition to being gluten free, we are a low sodium household. Since the prosciutto in this recipe has plenty of salt, I did not add more to the recipe.

Print This Post

Gluten Free Italian Chicken Pasta

Can you make an Italian Sunday Dinner in under 30 minutes? When you don’t have the time or the inclination to make an elaborate meal, this recipe comes together in a flash with common pantry ingredients. I used chicken tenders to keep prep to a minimum. A simple sauce made with fire roasted tomatoes and a red wine vinaigrette is rich with flavor. I finished it off with grated cheese and a sprinkle of fresh herbs from my garden.

This post contains affiliate links.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless chicken tenders
3-4 tbsp. olive oil, divided use
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz.) gluten free Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1-1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. garlic granules
1 ladle of pasta water
1/2 lb. gluten free fettuccine
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. grated Romano cheese
1 tbsp. each fresh Italian parsley and slivered basil for garnish

Preparation:

Boil water for the pasta, add 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. olive oil. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Whisk together 2-1/2 tbsp. olive oil, the red wine vinegar and the seasonings.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add the chicken tenders, turning to brown all sides until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

When the chicken is close to being done, push it to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste in center.

Let it toast for 1 minute then add the diced tomatoes and the vinaigrette. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Before draining the pasta, reserve a ladle of the pasta water and add it to the skillet. Add the fettuccine to the sauce and toss well.

Cook for another minute then sprinkle with half the cheese and fresh herbs.

Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, basil and parsley.

Notes ♪♫ Conventional kitchen wisdom tells us to never add oil to your pasta water, and for regular wheat pasta I would agree. Gluten free pasta, on the other hand is notorious for sticking together, especially our much-loved spaghetti, linguine and fettucine. I find that adding just a drop of oil to the cooking liquid helps keep the strands separate as they cook.

Print This Post

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan

At the beginning of my gluten free journey, one of my first successful home cooked meals was a personal favorite of mine, Chicken Parmesan. I am Italian so this was a big deal! In this post, I’ll show you how with just 2 ingredient swaps I made a gluten free adaptation of this classic comfort food that tastes just like the one you remember!

Serving size, 1-2 cutlets per person

This post contains affiliate links.

Ingredients:

thin sliced boneless chicken breast, 6 oz. per serving
white rice flour
1 egg + 1 tbsp. water
Tuscan seasoning
gluten free seasoned Italian breadcrumbs (I recommend Aleia’s)
olive oil
marinara sauce, jar or homemade
shredded cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, gruyere)
Italian parsley for garnish

Preparation:

To save time, I bought thin sliced chicken breast. For thicker cuts, you will need to place the chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2″ thickness with a meat mallet. Cut into 6 oz. serving portions.

Before you get started with the chicken, preheat the oven to 350º. Stir together a small batch of marinara sauce. I used a 29 oz. can of tomatoes, 3/4 cup diced onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp. brown sugar, 2 tsp. basil and 1 tsp. oregano. You can of course just warm up some jar sauce (I won’t tell 😉 ).

Set up 3 breading trays, one with rice flour, one with the beaten egg + water, and one with gluten free breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the rice flour and egg with seasoning.

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Pat each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour. Next, dip the floured chicken in the egg, shaking off the excess. Finally, roll in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat both sides.

Cook the chicken 3 minutes per side, until nicely browned.

Don’t crowd the chicken in the pan, if necessary, cook it in 2 batches.

The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point, it will finish in the oven. Transfer the browned cutlets to a baking sheet.

Top each piece with a ladle (~1/4 cup) of marinara and shredded cheese. While mozzarella is traditionally used in this recipe, you can use any cheese you prefer. I love gruyere or fontina cheese, for their mild flavor and superior melting characteristics.

Finish in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Garnish with parsley and serve with your favorite gluten free pasta.

I made Jovial Caserecce brown rice pasta, and it was delicious! Confession, all the while I was cooking, I had my eye on the biggest piece of chicken, and I finished every bite!

When I made this for company, no one knew it was gluten free. Mum’s the word!

Notes ♪♫ Plain white rice flour works better than gluten free all purpose flour in this recipe. Don’t use a flour blend that contains gum, as the breading may turn out soggy. Also, some prepared sauces, seasoning mixes and even grated cheese may contain hidden gluten, always check the ingredient labels!

Print This Post

Gluten Free Pasta e Fagioli

Today I’m making Pasta e Fagioli, a favorite on the menu of Italian restaurants everywhere. Of course, for those of us with Celiac disease, ordering any type of soup at a restaurant is not an option, or at best a roll of the dice. Luckily, most soups are easy to recreate at home! Especially when most of the ingredients are naturally gluten free, just be sure and check the labels! And as I always say, don’t shy away from cooking with beans. The Navy beans that I used in this soup are especially easy to work with and always turn out great. You can of course use canned beans, I won’t tell!

8 – 10 Servings

This post contains affiliate links.

Ingredients:

1 cup (dry) Navy beans
2 gluten free Italian sausage links
3/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
3/4 cup carrot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 cup white wine (optional but good)
1 can (14.5 oz.) gluten free diced tomatoes, pulsed in chopper
3 cups gluten free beef stock
1-1/2 cups gluten free chicken stock
1 cup gluten free Ditalini pasta

Preparation:

Start the soup the night before, by soaking the navy beans overnight. Always look them over for any foreign material (i.e. errant grains that may sneak in or even a pebble!). I also rinse them in a colander under cold water to minimize any trace gluten residue, then place in a small sauce pan with cold water, cover and let them stand until morning. The next day, drain and rinse again, then return to a clean pot.

Add cold water, cover and place on a very low simmer for 2 hours.

Next, get the other ingredients ready. We’ll be making a Soffritto (a flavor base composed of sautéed carrots, celery, and onion that forms the foundation of so many Italian recipes), so the veggies need to be finely minced. I used my electric chopper to make the prep work super fast and easy.

I used about 1/2 of a medium sweet onion, 3 med stalks of celery and 1 large carrot. You will have about 3/4 cup of each, don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be precise 😉 Mince the garlic and set aside.

In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Remove casings from the sausage and add to the pot. I used Open Nature Italian Chicken Sausage. Brown the sausage then cut into pieces and continue cooking through, about 3 minutes.

Remove sausage from the pan, reserving any leftover oil. Cool slightly and add to the chopper. Pulse a few times to break up the meat.

In the same pan, add another tbsp. of olive oil and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes. Stir 30 seconds to intensify their flavor.

Next add the minced garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.

Now add the carrots, celery and onion to make the Soffritto. Stir frequently for 2 minutes, you will see the veggies begin to break down and release their liquid.

Add back the chopped sausage along with the white wine (if using). Stir together and cook 2 minutes.

Place the diced tomatoes in the chopper and pulse a few times. Stir the tomatoes into the pot, along with the beef stock, chicken stock, sage and thyme.

Add the drained, cooked beans. Cover and simmer on low heat for 45-60 minutes.

Finally, cook the Ditalini separately in salted water, drain and add to the soup. (Note, you may see recipes where the pasta is cooked directly in the soup, but I find that gluten free pasta works best when cooked separately.)

Garnish with parsley and serve with grated cheese (optional) and a thick slice of gluten free bread.

Notes: ♪♫ I was especially happy to find Le Veneziane Gluten Free Ditalini pasta, traditionally used in this soup. You can use any small, gluten free pasta or break up any gluten free pasta into small pieces.

Print This Post

Italian Pot Roast

When I was growing up in the 1960’s, Sunday morning in our Italian neighborhood was all about making the sauce. I can still see my Mom’s Farberware Stockpot simmering on the stove, filled to the rim.

She often cooked a pot roast right in the sauce, as it was so easy to do and the resulting meal was delicious. The aromas filled our home and beyond, in fact it seemed every kitchen in the neighborhood was busy preparing their own Italian Sunday Dinner.

This post contains affiliate links.

I always think of my mom when I make this recipe, but instead of stovetop I prefer using my crock-pot, which makes it virtually hands off while you go about your busy day. The roast can be cooked on the weekend and reheated during the week, for an easy meal when you get home from work. Chuck roast is an economical cut of beef and after nine hours in the crock-pot the meat will be melt in your mouth tender!

Ingredients:

2-4 lb. chuck roast, allow 1/2 lb. per serving
4 garlic cloves cut into slivers
1/2 sweet onion, diced
cooking spray
olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1 large can (28 oz.) tomato sauce
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1-1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Preparation:

I got a great deal on a 4 lb. chuck roast, so I cut it into 2 pieces and froze half. A roast like this will shrink during cooking, so when planning portions I allow 1/2 lb. per person. If you have leftovers, this pot roast is great in sandwiches the next day.

To get started, set up your crock-pot and mist with cooking spray. Cut the garlic cloves into long slivers. Use a paring knife to make slits in the top of the roast and insert the garlic slivers.

Sear the roast on all sides in a hot skillet with olive oil, then place it in the crock-pot.

Add onions to the same skillet and cook until translucent. Add them to the roast then deglaze the skillet with the red wine and pour over everything.

Whisk the tomato paste into the tomato sauce along with the remaining ingredients, through brown sugar. Add to the crock-pot and cook on low for 9 hours. Give it a stir about halfway through. You can serve it immediately, but my personal preference is to refrigerate it overnight. The flavors will continue to meld, and the sauce will thicken.

The next day, reheat the roast on the stovetop over low heat. You can see that mine was so tender that it had broken into two pieces.

Most of the onions will have melted into the sauce at this point, but if you want an extra smooth sauce (or have picky eaters) you can puree it with a stick blender.

Slice the roast and arrange on a serving platter.

Serve with your favorite gluten free pasta. Jovial gluten free penne is one of mine.

Bring to the table with extra sauce and grated cheese. The only thing missing here is fresh parsley from my herb garden. I guess I’ll have to wait for summer and make this again!

Notes ♪♫ When starting the gluten free diet, you may feel like you will never enjoy your old family recipes again. The truth is, many recipes like this one are naturally gluten free. The only thing I changed was the pasta. With a little patience and experimentation, I have learned that many of my childhood favorites can be recreated in My Gluten Free Cucina.

Print This Post

Sausage and Mushroom Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust

Tonight I made a gluten free and grain free pizza with a cauliflower crust. If you have never had a cauliflower pizza crust you will be amazed at how tasty it is, and without the grain you won’t be left with that overly stuffed feeling! The most important thing you need to know about this pizza is that the crust and the toppings are cooked separately. Only at the end are they assembled and finished together. This pizza features my favorite Italian style toppings, sausage and mushroom!

As a main course, one pizza will be enough to serve 3 (2 slices each).

Ingredients:

4 cups grated cauliflower
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. gluten free Italian Seasoning, divided
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
1 large egg
6 oz. gluten free sweet Italian sausage, cut into coins
1/2 sweet onion, diced
8 crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup sauce (use leftover from another meal or jar sauce)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preparation:

Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor or mini chopper and measure 4 cups. Do the same with the Gruyere cheese, you will need 1 cup.

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, and cook the cauliflower for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning. When finished, transfer the cauliflower to a bowl and cool to room temperature (you don’t want the egg to cook). To speed things up you can place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.

When the cauliflower has cooled, beat the egg, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning and the grated Gruyere cheese. Stir in the cooled cauliflower until thoroughly combined.

Trace a large sheet of parchment to fit a pizza stone, and turn out the cauliflower mixture onto the parchment.

Use a wide spatula to spread the cauliflower in an even 1/2″ layer and neaten up the edges. This spatula from Oxo was designed for flipping eggs, but I find it is the perfect tool for smoothing out the cauliflower.

Bake the crust for 20 minutes at 400º, then finish under the broiler for 3 minutes on high. Here is the baked crust, golden and crisp around the edges. Brush it lightly with olive oil.

While the crust is baking, cook the toppings in the same skillet with a little olive oil and remaining 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning. Remember, all toppings must be cooked through completely. Drain the toppings after cooking, so they don’t weigh down the crust or make it soggy.