Most Americans hear the word Italy and immediately think of pizza and pasta. While these foods are enjoyed in Italy, there are many other starches traditionally consumed in Italian cooking. Many of these foods are acceptable ideas for living gluten free, either as is or with minimal adaptations.
Polenta, cooked cornmeal, was brought back from the New World in the late fifteenth century. It was economical, tasty and simple to prepare, so became popular very quickly. In northern Italy, the cornmeal is poured into pans and left to chill, then sliced and served as a bread substitute alongside other foods. Central Italy serves polenta while still soft. It is spread on a platter, topped with meaty sauces and served family style. Polenta can also be fried, grilled or baked in layered casserole dishes. There are areas of Italy that use wheat in their polenta, but an unflavored corn polenta is generally safe. Polenta is an ingredient that offers a wide variety of ideas for living gluten free.
Several types of rice are eaten in Italy, though generally they eat less rice than they do pasta or bread. Rice has many different ways to prepare it, giving you many ideas for living gluten free. The most famous use of rice in Italy is a creamy dish called risotto. Arborio and Carnaroli are two varieties of rice that have been developed specifically for their use in this dish. When properly prepared, risotto is still firm, but releases enough starch to create a thick sauce. Rice is also used to make arancini and suppli al telefono, two different kinds of stuffed balls of rice that are fried for eating out of hand. Rice is gluten free, of course, but make sure that you check that the rice balls aren't rolled in breadcrumbs before frying. Cold rice is even sweetened with honey and tossed with pine nuts, raisins and ginger and eaten for dessert.
Potatoes are another New World food that became very popular in Italian cooking. The most well known use of these in Italian food is the dumpling known as gnocchi. Traditionally, these are made from a number of different ingredients, so it is important to find out what is in them before you eat these. Potato gnocchi often have a small amount of flour in them, but there are many recipes for gluten free gnocchi on the Internet. Potatoes are also enjoyed roasted with olive oil and rosemary or added to pizza in place of cheese!
Desserts in Italian cooking are also gluten free more often than you would expect. Beaten egg whites and ground nuts are the bases of many traditional baked goods. Ricciarelli are an almond paste cookie that is almost always gluten free. Spongy chocolate or orange cakes are baked with polenta flour. Italian cheesecake is also very popular and can easily be baked with a nut crust to eliminate the gluten. Gelato, a dense sweet Italian ice cream, is also generally gluten free, though checking is important if there are things blended into the cream base.
Italian cooking may seem to be heavily reliant on gluten, but with a little bit of research, some of the alternate staple foods can give you a host of ideas for living gluten free.
Melinda Knight - Wife & mother of a family allergic to gluten, and former Catering Director at three of the largest hotels on the Las Vegas strip, where she planned menus and parties for thousands including the occasional 3,000 person wedding. She now plans meals for her gluten free family and shares her recipes and ideas for living a gluten free life at her blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melinda_Knight
Polenta, cooked cornmeal, was brought back from the New World in the late fifteenth century. It was economical, tasty and simple to prepare, so became popular very quickly. In northern Italy, the cornmeal is poured into pans and left to chill, then sliced and served as a bread substitute alongside other foods. Central Italy serves polenta while still soft. It is spread on a platter, topped with meaty sauces and served family style. Polenta can also be fried, grilled or baked in layered casserole dishes. There are areas of Italy that use wheat in their polenta, but an unflavored corn polenta is generally safe. Polenta is an ingredient that offers a wide variety of ideas for living gluten free.
Several types of rice are eaten in Italy, though generally they eat less rice than they do pasta or bread. Rice has many different ways to prepare it, giving you many ideas for living gluten free. The most famous use of rice in Italy is a creamy dish called risotto. Arborio and Carnaroli are two varieties of rice that have been developed specifically for their use in this dish. When properly prepared, risotto is still firm, but releases enough starch to create a thick sauce. Rice is also used to make arancini and suppli al telefono, two different kinds of stuffed balls of rice that are fried for eating out of hand. Rice is gluten free, of course, but make sure that you check that the rice balls aren't rolled in breadcrumbs before frying. Cold rice is even sweetened with honey and tossed with pine nuts, raisins and ginger and eaten for dessert.
Potatoes are another New World food that became very popular in Italian cooking. The most well known use of these in Italian food is the dumpling known as gnocchi. Traditionally, these are made from a number of different ingredients, so it is important to find out what is in them before you eat these. Potato gnocchi often have a small amount of flour in them, but there are many recipes for gluten free gnocchi on the Internet. Potatoes are also enjoyed roasted with olive oil and rosemary or added to pizza in place of cheese!
Desserts in Italian cooking are also gluten free more often than you would expect. Beaten egg whites and ground nuts are the bases of many traditional baked goods. Ricciarelli are an almond paste cookie that is almost always gluten free. Spongy chocolate or orange cakes are baked with polenta flour. Italian cheesecake is also very popular and can easily be baked with a nut crust to eliminate the gluten. Gelato, a dense sweet Italian ice cream, is also generally gluten free, though checking is important if there are things blended into the cream base.
Italian cooking may seem to be heavily reliant on gluten, but with a little bit of research, some of the alternate staple foods can give you a host of ideas for living gluten free.
Melinda Knight - Wife & mother of a family allergic to gluten, and former Catering Director at three of the largest hotels on the Las Vegas strip, where she planned menus and parties for thousands including the occasional 3,000 person wedding. She now plans meals for her gluten free family and shares her recipes and ideas for living a gluten free life at her blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melinda_Knight
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