Ciao Florentina

Healthy Chickpea Bread (gluten-free)

Florentina — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:33:32 +0000

Healthy gluten free chickpea bread without yeast or dairy, just good for you protein packed chickpea flour, fragrant rosemary and a little baking powder and baking soda for lift. A bread you can feel good about eating at every meal.

No Yeast Gluten Free Chickpea Bread

This healthy bread is made from chickpea flour and bound together with a mixture of flax and psyllium husk for the ultimate flavor and texture. If you are one of the die hard fans of my Italian crusty bread but want a healthy, fast and easy alternative for every day, then this gluten free bread is for you. It toasts great so you can really elevate your avocado toast with this super nutritious and satisfying base.

Useful Ingredient Notes

Chickpea Flour – this highly nutritious protein packed gluten free flour also known as garbanzo bean flour or besan is made from finely ground chickpeas with a nutty flavor. I prefer the garbanzo flour which is made from raw white chickpeas which has a milder flavor while Besan is made from roasted brown chickpeas with a more intense flavor profile. Either works here, it’s simply a taste preference.
Baking Soda + Baking Powder – you’ll want to use both here especially because the chickpea flour is so dense compared to regular wheat flour. The soda provides immediate rise in combination with the vinegar, and the baking powder gives it a second boost and rise once the heat of the oven hits the bread dough.
Apple Cider Vinegar – you need the acid here to activate the baking soda and also help with flavor. Alternatively you can use lemon juice or another type of white vinegar you have available.
Psyllium Husk + Flax – this is your magic binder! Once whisked into the water it will create a thick gel that will hold your dough together and make up for the lack of gluten. DO NOT SKIP IT!
Rosemary – Fresh or dry whatever you prefer, I love using it here to add some Italian flavor to my bread and to balance the chickpea flour taste.
Sesame Seeds – A mix of black and white sesame seeds sprinkled over the top of the dough get nice and toasty in the oven and create a pretty visual effect while also adding another layer of flavor. It’s fine to skip them or replace with pumpkin or sunflower seeds as desired. FAQs

Shaping + Baking the Bread

Shaping – Once you mix your wet dough make sure to drizzle or spray some oil on the parchment paper and oil your hands to prevent sticking. Use your hands and shape the loaf into a batard style loaf about 2 inch thick as shown in the video below. Using a sharp serrated knife score the top lengthwise. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sea salt flakes then use your hand to gently pat them into the dough to stick.
Bake your bread at a medium temperature of 355″F for 1 hour until golden brown on top. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow it to cool off completely before slicing.
Storage – Wrap your bread in parchment paper and store at room temperature for a couple of days or refrigerate up to a week. Alternatively you can slice, wrap and freeze in freezer proof bags or containers up to 5 months. Place in the toaster or under the broiler straight from the freezer for a delicious treat.

Bread Recipes

How to Make Healthy Gluten Free Bread Without Yeast

Healthy Chickpea Bread (gluten-free)

Course Baked Goods

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chickpea bread, gluten free bread, healthy bread

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 149kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

3 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 tsp dry rosemary
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
5 Tbsp psyllium husk
4 Tbsp ground flax
1.75 cups water
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (mix white + black for visual appeal)
1 pinch sea salt flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 355”F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the psyllium husk, flax and water until smooth and there are no lumps. Set aside to thicken.
5 Tbsp psyllium husk, 4 Tbsp ground flax, 1.75 cups water
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the chickpea flour salt and rosemary. Add the baking powder and baking soda and pour the vinegar on top to activate it.
3 cups chickpea flour, 1 tsp sea salt, 1-2 tsp dry rosemary, 1 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
Add the thickened psyllium husk and flax fixture to the flour and using a spatula fold everything together until fully incorporated. If needed use your hand and knead everything together until combined but try not to overdo it.
Lightly spray the parchment paper with olive oil and dump the dough in the middle.
Oil your hands to prevent sticking and form the dough into a long batard style loaf approximately 2 inch thick or so.
Use a sharp serrated knife and score the top of the loaf lengthwise then sprinkle the sesame seeds and salt flakes on top. Use the palm of your hand and gently pat them into the dough to stick better if needed.
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, 1 pinch sea salt flakes
Bake your bread in the preheated oven for 1 hour until nicely golden brown. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before slicing into it.

Video

Nutrition

The post Healthy Chickpea Bread (gluten-free) appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Tofu Egg Salad

Florentina — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:51:29 +0000

A protein packed tofu egg salad deeply seasoned with a rich umami vegan mayo dressing and finished with eggy Kala namak salt for the ultimate eggy flavor without any of the cholesterol.

Tofu Egg Salad

If you are not a big fan of tofu yet then this easy and super delicious vegan egg salad recipe will make you fall in love with it. Easy to make, really satisfying, savory, delicious and convenient to keep in the fridge and have handy for the perfect lunch sandwich.

Boiling the Tofu

If you aren’t familiar with the method of boiling tofu before actually using it in a recipe, I’m here to promise you it’s worth the extra 10 minutes and to trust the process. You will end up with a real clean canvas to season without any briny soybean taste; instead you’ll get a fluffy texture ready to deeply soak up the beautiful flavors of the dressing. Make sure to use an extra firm block that can hold up to the boiling, no need to press it, just slice it up into 1 inch cubes and boil away.

The Salad Dressing

Vegan Mayo – I used Follow Your Heart but you can use whatever plant based mayo you prefer and is available at your local market. You are already winning by skipping all that dairy saturated fat and cholesterol.
Dijon Mustard – it just belongs here, you can’t tell it’s in there but it does its magic, try not to skip it.
Capers – brined capers roughly chopped add both saltiness and a little tang.
White Miso – for a perfect touch of umami, it really adds complex flavor to the final dish so ideally you won’t skip it. If you must you can replace it with 1-2 teaspoons of shoyu.
Olive Oil – cold pressed and extra virgin for silkiness and richness, it’s fine to omit if you want to reduce the fat content.
Garlic – one clove is enough, make sure to grate it finely through a microplane zester and extract flavor without it being pungent and overpowering. Nobody wants to bite into a chunk of raw garlic.
Onion Powder + Turmeric – as aromatics and that golden hue color we like seeing in our egg salad. Don’t overdo it, 1/2 teaspoon is plenty.
Rice vinegar – to balance all the umami flavors with its mild tang and subtle sweetness. Add more if desired but taste as you go.

Recipe Tips

Boil the Tofu – for the best flavor and texture I highly recommend you don’t skip this step.
Should I still press the tofu? – No there is absolutely no need to press the tofu, make your life easier.
Chill the Salad – for the best flavor make sure to refrigerate the salad for a couple of hours or overnight before serving. This will give the tofu a change to really soak up that dressing and for the flavors to mingle.
What is Kala Namak Salt – this is a pink, purple or black salt with a high sulfur content which makes it smell and taste like eggs. Sprinkle a little bit on top for both the flavor and the scent.

Serving Suggestions

How to Make Tofu Egg Salad

Tofu Egg Salad

A protein packed tofu egg salad deeply seasoned with a rich umami vegan mayo dressing and finished with eggy Kala namak salt for the ultimate eggy flavor without any of the cholesterol.

Course Salad

Cuisine American Italian

Keyword tofu egg salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 192kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

16 oz block extra firm tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes
¼ cup vegan mayonnaise (I used Follow Your Heart)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon capers roughly chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp white miso paste
2 teaspoon rice vinegar + more to taste
1 large garlic clove grated
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Garnish suggestions

Kala namak salt to taste (I like to use the coarse texture if available)
chopped fresh dill, chives, micro greens, baby arugula
freshly cracked black pepper, red chili flakes, sesame seeds
Pickled red onion

Instructions

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Season generously with a big pinch of salt.
Meanwhile drain the tofu block and cut it into 1 inch cubes. Add it to the pot of boiling water and gently boil it for 10 minutes. Drain in colander and allow to cool until safe enough to handle. Use your hand and tear the pillowy tofu squares into smaller irregular pieces.
16 oz block extra firm tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes
In a medium size mixing bowl combine together the mayo, vinegar, miso, dijon and olive oil. Add the capers, onion powder, garlic, turmeric, black pepper and sea salt. Mix well.
¼ cup vegan mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoon capers, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp white miso paste, 2 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 large garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, freshly ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Add the tofu and toss everything to coat really well in the dressing. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight to completely chill and for the tofu to soak up the flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings with more rice vinegar if desired. Hold off on adding anymore salt until serving when you will garnish with the kala namak eggy salt.
chopped fresh dill, chives, micro greens, baby arugula, freshly cracked black pepper, red chili flakes, sesame seeds, Pickled red onion, Kala namak salt to taste

Video

Notes

Boil the Tofu - for the best flavor and texture I highly recommend you don't skip this step.
Should I still press the tofu? - No there is absolutely no need to press the tofu.
What is Kala Namak Salt? - this is a pink, purple or black salt with a high sulfur content which makes it smell and taste like eggs. Sprinkle a little bit on top for both the flavor and the scent.
Chill the Salad - for the best flavor make sure to refrigerate the salad for a couple of hours or overnight before serving. This will give the tofu a change to really soak up that dressing and for the flavors to mingle.

Nutrition

The post Tofu Egg Salad appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Rosemary Focaccia Recipe

Florentina — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 17:44:24 +0000

Get excited about this dreamy rosemary focaccia bread with a perfectly crisp bottom and topped with roasted cherry tomatoes for the win! Enjoy on its own, as a side to soups or to make the perfect sandwich stuffed with my homemade mozzarella.

Rosemary Focaccia

Revisit and upgrade your focaccia recipe with this perfected rosemary dough you’ll be making and sharing for the rest of time. The perfect dough features mashed potatoes and olive oil which yields a soft and fluffy crumb between a crisp bottom and top. The tomatoes are roasted separately until they collapse then spooned over the bread just before serving, this way you get the best of both words: crispness topped with luscious jammy tomato goodness. Enjoy alongside my Tuscan white bean soup for the most comforting coziest Italian homemade dinner – not to be missed!

Focaccia Dough Ingredient Tips

All Purpose Flour – unbleached all purpose flour works perfect in this recipe although bread flour is fine to use as well if that’s all you have in in your kitchen at the moment.
Mashed Potatoes – the magical ingredient that adds moisture and fluffiness to your final crumb. You can use leftovers for this or simply boil a couple of Yukon gold potatoes until soft and mash them up until fluffy and creamy (no need to peel them first). Use your hand to work them into the dry ingredients to make sure it gets evenly distributed.
Instant Yeast – All I use nowadays, I keep it in a jar in the fridge and add it straight to my dry ingredients, It has never let me down so I highly recommend you use this one.
Granulated Garlic – I like using some here to give some depth of flavor to the dough alongside the sea salt. You don’t have to use it but I definitely think it tastes better with it.
Rosemary – Use fresh if available, I add some in the dough, some on top of it before baking and of course some in the tomato topping. It’s all about that rosemary so please don’t leave it out. Dry will also work in a pinch but try to smell its aroma and make sure it is a fragrant batch.
Olive Oil – for both flavor and texture, the fat adds to the tenderness of the final bread and makes the dough a dream to work with.
Sea Salt Flakes – or Fleur de Sel, I love adding them on top of the bread alongside more rosemary just before baking. This way they all bake into the crust and deliver savory salty magic in almost every bite.
Warm Water – I suggest warm water here simply to speed up the process of rising the dough. Any temperature will work really, however ice cold water will deliver a slow rise which is not a bad thing if you have the time because it also helps develop more flavor. So technically you can prep the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight then bring out to room temperate and let it rise for at least a couple of hours before baking it.
Rising Time – It’s important to let the dough double in size, this could take 2-3 hours depending on the ambient temperature and any draft in the room. It’s never going to be exactly 2 hours, trust your eyes to check both the size and the texture.

Roasted Tomato Topping

Depending on what’s available in your area and the time of the year, you can use basic cherry tomatoes or a mix of heirloom cherry tomatoes in different colors. Toss them together with some garlic cloves, rosemary, olive oil and pinch of salt then let them roast away @450″F until they release all their juices and start to get jammy. Feel free to let them collapse entirely and all the juices to evaporate, the naturals sugars will concentrate and caramelize around the edges and you’ll end up with a super delicious and outstanding topping.

More Italian Bread Recipes

Olive Bread
Garlic Bread Sticks
Whole Wheat Bread
Pizza Bread Focaccia
Italian Rosemary Biscuits
No Knead Potato Focaccia
Garlic Knots
Potato Bread
Homemade Spelt Bread
Italian Crusty Bread <—the Cult Favorite!

How to Make the Best Rosemary Focaccia

Rosemary Focaccia

Upgrade your focaccia recipe with this perfected rosemary dough you'll be making and sharing for the rest of time. The perfect dough features mashed potatoes and olive oil which yields a soft and fluffy crumb between a crisp bottom and top. Pile up high with roasted cherry tomatoes for the ultimate savory treat!

Course Baked Goods

Cuisine Italian

Keyword rosemary focaccia

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Rising time 3

Total Time 43

Servings people

Calories 341kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

2.5 cups all purpose flour
1.5 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup mashed potatoes 2 large golden potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cups warm water
1 sprig fresh rosemary for topping
1 pinch sea salt flakes for garnish

Roasted Tomato Topping

1.5 lb cherry tomatoes mixed colors
1 sprig rosemary
6 cloves garlic (in paper with ends sliced off)
Olive oil - for drizzling
1/ 2 lemon

Instructions

If not using leftover mashed potatoes make sure to scrub and rinse your gold potatoes and dice them into cubes. Boil in plenty of water until soft, drain and mash until sooth and creamy. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
1 cup mashed potatoes
In a large mixing bowl combine together the flour, yeast, garlic, sea salt and rosemary. Add the mashed potatoes and using your hand work the potatoes into the flour mixture until equally distributes throughout.
2.5 cups all purpose flour, 1.5 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, 1 cup mashed potatoes
Make a well in the center and add the water and olive oil. Use a spatula and mix everything together until a smooth sticky dough is formed.
3/4 cups warm water, 1/4 cup olive oil
Drizzle the dough with olive oil and cover the bowl tightly with som plastic wrap or parchment paper and a tea towel. Place in a draft free area and allow it to rise for 2-3 hours until doubled in size.
Olive oil - for drizzling
Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzled with olive oil.
Dump the focaccia dough onto the baking sheet and using the palm of your hand flatten it out while also pulling and stretching it towards the sides of the baking sheet. You want to stretch it out to a 1/2 inch thickness.
Using the tips of your fingers start pressing into the dough to create dimples. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining fresh rosemary and sea salt flakes and cover loosely with parchment paper. Allow it to rest for 30 to 40 minutes. (If it looks like it has risen too much you can make a few more dimples in it before baking).
1 sprig fresh rosemary for topping, 1 pinch sea salt flakes for garnish, Olive oil - for drizzling, 1 sprig rosemary
Meanwhile preheat the oven to @450”F.
Bake your focaccia in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow it to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
ROAST TOMATOES - In an oven proof baking dish toss the cherry tomatoes with the garlic, rosemary and a good drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle with a good pinch of sea salt and roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or so until the tomatoes have burst released their juices and get jammy. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and adjust seasonings with more sea salt and red chili flakes. Spoon over the focaccia and serve garnish with fresh basil.
1 sprig fresh rosemary for topping, 1.5 lb cherry tomatoes, 6 cloves garlic, Olive oil - for drizzling, 1/ 2 lemon

Video

Notes

About the Garlic - I only used the garlic cloves to infuse flavor here but they can be squeezed out of the paper and served.
Mashed Potatoes - the magical ingredient that adds moisture and fluffiness to your final crumb. You can use leftovers for this or simply boil a couple of Yukon gold potatoes until soft and mash them up until fluffy and creamy (no need to peel them first). Use your hand to work them into the dry ingredients to make sure it gets evenly distributed.
Instant Yeast - All I use nowadays, I keep it in a jar in the fridge and add it straight to my dry ingredients, It has never let me down so I highly recommend you use this one.

Nutrition

The post Rosemary Focaccia Recipe appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Green Goddess Soup (Immunity Boosting Soup)

Florentina — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:03:27 +0000

Green Goddess Soup – a healthy nutrient packed immunity boosting soup that tastes absolutely delicious and comforting with a base of leeks, potato, garlic, ginger and tons of dark leafy greens. Feel free to skip that boring salad and dive into a bowl of this goodness instead, your immune system will be vibrating with life. Easy, clean and vegan recipe!

Immunity Boosting Green Goddess Soup

This is not a wheatgrass smoothie but absolutely the best verdant soup to boost your immune system, unbelievably delicious savory and creamy green soup fit for a Goddess that Is packed full of antioxidants, micronutrients and vitamins. I would describe it as a green version of the best potato leek soup I ever made and I could eat it every day for the rest of time with little chunks of garlicky bruschetta on top.

What is Green Soup Made Of

Leeks – one medium leek delivers incredible flavor and nutrients, nothing goes to waste so use the whole thing white + green tops sliced and rinsed well as detailed inside the recipe card.
Aromatics – onion, carrot + celery make up the holy trinity and usual suspects in building layers of flavor in soups and stews. Take your time to cook them down, get some color and allow them to develop and concentrate their flavor.
Garlic + Ginger – I love this combination of flavors so much, those two really compliment each other. A little ginger root goes a long way, stick to 1 inch or so unless you prefer to go heavy with the ginger profile.
Chili pepper – one green chile for a little spicy kick and more immune boosting properties is all you need, not too spicy not too mild just enough to awaken the tastebuds.
Gold Potato – I use it to add body to the soup and for that extra creaminess and silkiness during the blending process, it really compliments the leeks but without really knowing it’s In there. Don’t skip it!
The Dark Leafy Greens – a mix of power greens like kale, chard and spinach is perfect, however this is adaptable to your favorite greens. You can go all kale if you like or mix in some dandelion greens, mustard greens, collard greens and even arugula. Go wild and make it special every single time.
Italian Parsley– the stalks are diced and used as an aromatic in the flavor base while the leaves are added in later for more freshness and antioxidants.
Nutritional Yeast – for umami flavor, B vitamins and to preserve immune function and prevent the common cold.
Add Ins – for extra umami feel free to blend in 1-2 tablespoons of white miso paste.
Water vs Veggie Stock – save your cash and use water, no broth that comes in a box will deliver anything close in flavor to what you are building here from step one.

On Storage + Reheating

This is a great soup to double batch and freeze in individual lidded freezer proof containers. It reheats beautifully on the stove top or inside the microwave oven and can be refrigerated up to 5 days (just because I’m not the FDA but it definitely lasts longer).

Italian Soup Recipes

How to Make Immune Boosting Green Goddess Soup

Green Goddess Soup (Immunity Boosting Soup)

Green Goddess Soup - a healthy nutrient packed immunity boosting soup that tastes absolutely delicious and comforting with a base of leeks, potato, garlic, ginger and tons of dark leafy greens. Feel free to skip that boring salad and dive into a bowl of this goodness instead, your immune system will be vibrating with life.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword green goddeess soup, immunity boosting soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 79kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion diced
1 carrot peeled + diced
2 celery stalks chopped
1 medium leek
1 inch ginger root chopped
5 garlic cloves peeled + minced
1 chile pepper diced
1 cup golden potato diced
1/2 bunch Italian parsley stalks + leaves separated
1/2 lb dark leafy greens I used baby kale, chard + spinach
6 cups water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt + more to taste
black sesame seeds + red chili flakes for garnish

Instructions

Slice the leeks and add them to a large bow of cold water. Agitate the water well then allow them to sit for a few minutes. The sand and grit will wall to the bottom and the cleaned leeks will float to the top.
1 medium leek
Preheat a heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, carrot, celery and parsley stalks with a pinch of salt until they start to soften and the onion starts to get a little color.
1 small yellow onion, 1 carrot, 2 celery stalks, 1/2 bunch Italian parsley
Push the aromatics to the sides, drizzle a little olive oil in the center and drop in the garlic and ginger + chili pepper if using. Cook until fragrant then give everything a good stir.
1 inch ginger root, 5 garlic cloves, 1 chile pepper
Using a spider ladle start scooping the clean leeks from the water and add them to the pot with the aromatics. Stir and let everything sauté together until the leeks have wilted.
1 medium leek
Add the potato and water and bring to a boil. Add the salt, partially cover with a lid and simmer everything together for 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked through.
1 cup golden potato, 6 cups water, 1 tsp sea salt + more to taste
Add the dark leafy greens and parsley leaves to the soup, stir and simmer a few minutes until fully wilted. Remove from heat.
1/2 lb dark leafy greens, 1/2 bunch Italian parsley
Using a large ladle start transferring the hot soup to a Vitamix blender (or a similarly powerful blender). Work in batches as needed and process the soup on the hot liquid setting together with the nutritional yeast until silky smooth.
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Transfer all the creamy soup back into the soup pot and adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with a pinch of black sesame seeds, red chili flakes and bite size pieces of garlic bruschetta torn on top.
black sesame seeds + red chili flakes

Video

Notes

The Dark Leafy Greens - a mix of power greens like kale, chard and spinach is perfect, however this is adaptable to your favorite greens. You can go all kale if you like or mix in some dandelion greens, mustard greens, collard greens and even arugula. Go wild and make it special every single time.
Add Ins - for extra umami feel free to blend in 1-2 tablespoons of white miso paste.
Water vs Veggie Stock - save your cash and use water, no broth that comes in a box will deliver anything close in flavor to what you are building here from step one.
Storage + Reheating - this soup can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to 4 months. It reheats beautifully on the stove top or microwave oven.

Nutrition

The post Green Goddess Soup (Immunity Boosting Soup) appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Florentina — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 17:45:17 +0000

Festive roasted garlic potatoes with lemon and herbs cooked in broth and olive oil until buttery soft on the inside with nice golden brown crisp edges. Easy, outstanding recipe to keep on repeat as long as the weather permits turning on the oven.

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Save this garlic potatoes recipe to your holiday dinner menu because you will find yourself making it over and over for every special occasion and Sunday dinner. Thick potato wedges are covered in an instant homemade broth and roasted with herbs and tons of garlic until buttery soft and the broth has reduced to a luscious savory sauce you’ll mop clean with a piece of my crusty olive bread.

About the Potatoes

Potato Variety – Using a waxy golden potato variety here is very important as they will keep their shape during roasting without falling apart and turn into mashed potatoes. Red skin potatoes that are waxy can also be used here, no need to peel any of them, just scrub and rinse well to remove any dirt.
How to cut wedges from a potato: Start by cutting each cleaned potato in half lengthwise. Place the flat side down on a cutting board and cut it in half then repeat with the other halves. I like to make them about 1/2 inch thick but you can cut them thicker, just check to make sure they are completely cooked through before removing from the oven as thicker pieces will take a little longer roasting time.

Instant Broth Ingredients Notes

Water – I like to start my broth with water and add tons of flavor with my herbs and spices that reduce into a fabulous sauce. I’m not a fan of store bought broths but you can use some here if you prefer.
Garlic – Go for 6 of the largest cloves you can find and grate them into the broth. This way they will literally melt into the sauce and give it a rich but mild garlicky flavor throughout without any bitterness.
Nutritional yeast – Packed with savory umami flavor and good for you B vitamins, I never leave myself without a bulk bag of this gold dust. Absolutely priceless, don’t leave it out.
Herbs – Woodsy rosemary, thyme, a little oregano and bay leaves will give the potatoes a fantastic aroma and make your house smell like the holidays.
Turmeric– Just a little pinch for color, you can go without but it’s pretty if you have it.
Olive Oil – For both flavor and richness, it will lusciously coat the potatoes as the broth reduced into a sauce and make them buttery smooth and soft.
Granulated onion – Just a couple of teaspoons as an aromatic layer to compliment the other flavors.
Lemon wedges – as they roast with the potatoes they will release their juices and balance the savory umami flavor profile by brightening it up. Serve with extra wedges on the side.

On Storage

If by a miracle you find yourself with leftovers, simply refrigerate them for up to 5 days in a lidded container. Best reheated in the oven @375″F for about 20 minutes or until heated through to your liking.

You’ll Also Love

How to Make Roasted Garlic Potatoes Wedges

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Course Sides

Cuisine Italian

Keyword potato wedges, roasted garlic potatoes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 284kcal

Ingredients

1.5 lb golden potatoes
2 cups water
6-7 large garlic cloves grated
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp granulated onion
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dry oregano
10 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dry
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch sea salt flakes
1/2 lemon cut into wedges + extra for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400”F.
Scrub and rinse the potatoes well, cut them in half lengthwise then slice them into wedges. Rinse again and transfer them to a medium size roasting dish together with the bay leaf, fresh thyme, rosemary and lemon wedges. Spread them all in an even layer as best as you can.
1.5 lb golden potatoes, 10 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 lemon cut into wedges + extra for serving
In a measuring cup whisk together the water, garlic, nooch, onion, salt, turmeric and oregano.
2 cups water, 6-7 large garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tsp granulated onion, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp dry oregano
Pour the broth over the potatoes and drizzle all over with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the red pepper and sea salt flakes.
1/4 cup olive oil, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, 1 pinch sea salt flakes
Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Using a flat spatula give them a gentle mix around and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes until all the potatoes are buttery soft with golden brown edges on the top layer. The broth should be almost all evaporated by this point with just a shallow layer on the top.
Serve the potatoes hot with some of the pan juices, lemon wedges and extra sea salt flakes to taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped chives or flat leaf Italian parsley for a pop of color.

Video

Nutrition

The post Roasted Garlic Potatoes appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Florentina — Thu, 15 May 2025 16:43:08 +0000

A homemade whole wheat bread recipe that is crusty and hearty but with a light and airy chewy crumb that isn’t dense nor dry. It’s made with a 50:50 ratio of whole wheat and high protein bread flours for the best rustic homemade loaf anyone can make.

Best Whole Wheat Bread

Easy, delicious, a no knead, better for you bread with the dreamiest rustic crackling crust. It’s difficult finding a great whole wheat loaf at the market nowadays, especially one that Is 50% or more whole grain, and really, who still has time to babysit sourdough starter ..?! So I’ve been making my own easy homemade version since my success with the crusty spelt bread last year, but with more whole grain in the dough this time and a faster process.

About the Flour

I love a 50:50 ratio of organic nutty whole wheat flour like spelt combined with regular bread flour which are both high in gluten content with a delicious nutty flavor. The bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose (12-14% on average) which also helps with a good rise and higher gluten development which gives the bread a nice hearty structure, chewiness and airiness preventing the loaf from turning out too dense.

Transferring the Dough Successfully

Once doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap from the dough bowl and sprinkle some flour all around the sides of the dough. Flour your hands well then tilt the bowl on its side on the kitchen counter or pastry board and with your flour hand start guiding out the dough onto the floured surface. It will be somewhat sticky and it will deflate some but do not worry. You could use a dough scraper for this step if you prefer, I just use my hands.

Shaping the Loaf Tips

Shape the Dough without over-handling it. Sprinkle some more flour around the sides and top of the dough. Using the palm of your hands start gently tucking the dough under itself while spinning the loaf little by little as it tightens up. Continue tucking the dough under until a tight ball has formed and you can easily scoop it up with the palms of your hands. DO NOT PRESS or PUNCH THE DOUGH, the entire shaping process happens from the sides – PLEASE WATCH VIDEO TUTORIAL below.
Use a Bowl. Place the dough ball on the prepared clean piece of parchment paper then pick up the parchment paper by the sides and place the dough inside of the clean bowl. This will help prevent the dough from spilling sideways as it rises and act as a proofing basket basically; so you will have a beautiful shaped boule that is easy to transfer to the hot pot. Cover the dough again and give it another hour or so on the counter for the gluten strands to bounce back.
Preheat a Dutch Oven with a Lid – After one hour has passed and your dough looks nice and plump again, preheat your oven to 475”F with a medium dutch oven inside with the lid on. Let the oven and pot preheat for 30 minutes. If you don’t have a dutch oven you can use a large cast iron skillet without a lid and drop an ice cube in the bottom of the oven to create steam for a crispy crust.

Scoring the Dough Before Baking

Use a bread lame or sharp serrated knife and carve a few deep cuts in the top of the dough just before or after transferring it to the hot pot. This scoring process will basically tell the bread to rise upwards, otherwise it will burst at its weakest point as it bakes.

Cooling the Loaf

It’s very important to allow the bread to cool off before slicing. The best way is by placing the hot loaf on a cooling rack (or wooden cutting board) on its side. This vertical position will help the extra steam escape and yield a nice crackling crispy crust. You can help stabilize the vertical position by placing a can of tomatoes behind it.

More Bread Recipes

How to Make the Best Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Best Whole Wheat Bread

This whole wheat bread recipe is rustic and crusty with a hearty but light and airy chewy crumb that isn’t dense nor dry. It’s made with a 50:50 ratio of whole wheat and high protein bread flours for the best crusty homemade loaf anyone can make. Easy, delicious, no knead better for your bread.

Course Baked Goods

Cuisine American Italian

Keyword whole wheat bread

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 4

Total Time 4 55

Servings people

Calories 180kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary (optional)
sea salt flakes for garnish

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, salt, yeast and rosemary if using. Pour in the water and vinegar and using a spatula combine everything until well mixed and a shaggy dough is formed.
2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups bread flour, 2 tsp instant yeast, 1.5 tsp fine sea salt, 2 cups warm water, 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel then place in a draft free area to rise for 3 hours or until doubled in size (you should see some bubbles forming on top of the dough). To develop more flavor you can allow the dough to sit overnight.
Prepare a large piece of parchment (16 x 16 inch or so) and a medium size mixing bowl.
Sprinkle some flour over your kitchen counter or marble pastry board and using the palm of your hand spread the four around for good coverage.
Transfer the Dough. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough bowl and sprinkle some flour all around the sides of the dough. Flour your hands well then tilt the bowl on its side on the counter or pastry board and with your flour hand start guiding out the dough onto the floured surface. It will be somewhat sticky and it will deflate some but do not worry. (You could use a dough scraper for this step if you prefer, I just use my hands).
Shape the Loaf. Sprinkle some more flour around the sides and top of the dough. Using the palm of your hands start gently tucking the dough under itself while spinning the loaf little by little as it tightens up. Continue tucking the dough until a tight dough ball has formed and you can easily scoop it up with the palms of your hands. (DO NOT PRESS or PUNCH THE DOUGH, the entire shaping process happens from the sides - PLEASE WATCH VIDEO TUTORIAL).
Place the dough ball on the reserved clean piece of parchment paper then pick up the parchment paper by the sides and place the dough inside of the prepared clean bowl. This will help prevent the dough from spilling sideways as it rises and act as a proofing basket basically so you will have a beautiful shaped boule that is easy to transfer to the hot pot.
Cover the dough again and give it another hour on the counter for the gluten strands to bounce back.
After one hour has passed and your dough looks nice and plump again, preheat your oven to 475”F with a medium dutch oven inside with the lid on. Let the oven and pot preheat for 30 minutes. (If you don’t have a dutch oven you can use a large cast iron skillet without a lid).
Using oven mitts very carefully remove the hot pot from the oven and place it on a heat proof surface like a thick wooden board. Remove the lid and safely place it on a heat proof area away from the reach of children or pets. SAFETY FIRST!
Score + Bake the Bread. Using the sides of the parchment paper as handles transfer the loaf into the hot pot. Use a bread lame or sharp serrated knife and carve a few deep cuts in the top of the dough (this scoring process will basically tell the bread to rise upwards, otherwise it will burst at its weakest point as it bakes). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes if desired.
sea salt flakes for garnish
Carefully using the oven mitts again cover the pot with the hot lid and transfer it to the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on then carefully and safely remove the lid and continue baking the bread for another 15 minutes until a dark golden crust is formed.
(NOTE WORTHY: For an extra crispy crust without a lid, you can do a light mist of water over the top of the dough and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt flakes, or drop an ice cube in the bottom of the oven to create steam.)
Put your oven mitts back on and carefully remove the pot from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack/ wooden board. Safely remove the bread from the hot pot making use of the parchment paper as handles or simply turning the pot upside down safely so the bread slides out. (The parchment paper will be brittle at the edges by now so be mindful to get a good grip on).
Place the loaf of bread on a cooling rack (or wooden cutting board) on its side to cool off. This vertical position will help the extra steam escape and yield a nice crackling crispy crust.
Make sure to let the loaf cool off for at least 15 minutes before slicing into it. This step will allow the center to finish cooking completely as the steam escapes.

Video

Notes

Crispy Crust Tip - Optional: after scoring the dough spray or splash the top with a little water to create steam and get an extra crispy crust + the salt flakes adhere better. I didn't do this here because I used a dutch oven with lid but it is recommended if you bake in a skillet or on a pizza stone without a lid. Alternatively you can just drop an ice cube in the bottom of the oven that will release steam as it melts for the same effect.
Cooling the Bread - It's very important to allow the bread to cool off before slicing. The best way is by placing the hot loaf on a cooling rack (or wooden cutting board) on its side. This vertical position will help the extra steam escape and yield a nice crackling crispy crust. You can help stabilize the vertical position by placing a can of tomatoes behind it.

Nutrition

The post Whole Wheat Bread Recipe appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Florentina — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:04:00 +0000

This creamy roasted red pepper sauce also called Crema di Peperoni is made from scratch without any cream, no nuts and no tomatoes. An Italian classic sauce that is naturally dairy free and gets its delicious magic from the quality of the fresh peppers and the smooth smokiness from roasting them.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

A simple, easy and fabulously silky red pepper pasta sauce to save to your faves and keep on repeat all year long! I love it tossed with a wide noodle like pappardelle or tagliatelle but short pasta like lumache, Pricci or gnocchi is also nice. Traditionally this roasted pepper sauce is used to dress rigatoni Napolitani which is an extra large rigatoni, a hollow tube pasta with ridges that absorbs and holds lots of sauce. I say be a wild child like me and use it on pizza or toss it with wide noodles then top with Italian roasted tofu and basil.

About the Peppers

Fresh is Best. Start with fresh red bell peppers or a mixture of yellows oranges and reds for the best color. Avoid using any green peppers here because the color is not red (obviously) and they have some bitterness from not being fully ripe yet.
Roasting the peppers. This can be done under the broiler, on open flame or a hot cast iron plate/ skillet. Using the preferred method above roast the peppers for a few minutes on each side until charred and the skins are black. The more smoke you create the better the flavor will be.
Can I use jarred peppers? – You can certainly use jarred roasted peppers here but I would not unless it’s last minute and all I got. From scratch is so much better, you’ll end up with a heavenly smooth smokiness you simply can’t get from a jar. You’ll still make a delicious sauce in a pinch but If you plan the time to charr your peppers you’ll make a magic sauce. If going for the jarred kind add in a pinch of smoked paprika to make up for the smokiness.

Useful Chef’s Notes

The Aromatics – You want a nice base of flavor here which you’ll get from sautéing about 1/4 red onion or a couple of shallots and garlic cloves. I don’t want to taste them in the sauce so I am mindful of the quantities here, I only want them to support the flavor profile of the peppers and not to shine on their own. I hope that makes sense.
The Olive Oil – This is one recipe where I bring out my best bottle of cold pressed extra virgin since I am not heating it up. You don’t need much, 1/4 cup delivers a beautiful creamy emulsion, you can add more as desired but you don’t need to.
Vinegar – You’ll want a little bit of acid here to balance the savory flavor profile with red wine vinegar being my favorite. You can swap it for apple cider vinegar but cut back the amount by half since the flavor is much stronger and you can dd more as desired after tasting.
Almond Variation – To add more creaminess to your sauce you may add in about 1/3 cup of sliced almonds and blend until super smooth.
What to serve with – Use in pasta sprinkled with these crispy Italian breadcrumbs, slather on sandwiches, dip your falafel, drizzle your hummus, tacos and roasted tofu or make a fabulous lasagna.
Storage + Reheating – Any leftovers keep well in the fridge up to 5 days in a tight seal container and reheat well in a skillet on the stovetop or microwave oven.

More Italian Favorites

how to make roasted red pepper sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Crema di Peperoni)

This creamy Italian roasted red pepper sauce is made from scratch without any cream, no nuts and no tomatoes. A classic naturally dairy free sauce that gets its magic from the quality of the fresh peppers and the smokiness from roasting. You can certainly use jarred peppers here but from scratch is so much better with a heavenly smooth smokiness you just can’t get from a jar. A simple, easy and fabulous sauce to save to your faves and keep on repeat!

Course Pasta, Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword crema di peperoni, roasted red pepper sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 472kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

4 red bell peppers (or a mixture or yellow, orange & red)
1/4 red onion sautéed (or 2 shallots)
2 garlic cloves sautéed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar + more to taste
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 pinch red pepper flakes
basil onion chives and chili flakes for garnish.
3/4 lb pasta (I like wide noodles like pappardelle or tagliatelle or short pasta like lumache, Pricci or gnocchi)

Instructions

Roast the peppers. This can be done under the broiler, open flame or a hot cast iron plate/ skillet. Using the preferred method above roast the peppers for a few minutes on each side until charred and the skins are black. The more smoke you create the better the flavor will be.
4 red bell peppers
Once your peppers have been charred on all sides carefully transfer them to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil until cool enough to handle.
Once cool enough to handle peel the peppers and discard the peels and core with the seeds. Transfer cleaned peppers to a powerful blender or food processor.
Meanwhile preheat a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion or shallots in a light drizzle of olive oil until softened. Add in the garlic and chili flakes and sauté until you can smell the garlic taking care not to burn it. Remove from heat and transfer to the blender with the peppers.
1/4 red onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Add the olive oil, vinegar and salt and process until silky smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings with more salt, vinegar and chili flakes to taste.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar , 1/2 tsp sea salt
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Toss with the pepper sauce until coated well and serve garnished with fresh basil, chopped onion chives and red chili flakes.
3/4 lb pasta, basil

Video

Notes

Roasting the peppers. This can be done under the broiler, open flame or a hot cast iron plate/ skillet. Using the preferred method above roast the peppers for a few minutes on each side until charred and the skins are black. The more smoke you create the better the flavor will be.
Can I use jarred peppers? - You can certainly use jarred peppers here but I would not unless it's last minute and all I got. From scratch is so much better, you'll end up with a heavenly smooth smokiness you simply can’t get from a jar. You'll still make a delicious sauce in a pinch but If you plan the time to charr your peppers you'll make a magic sauce.
Almond Variation - To add more creaminess to your sauce you may add in about 1/3 cup of sliced almonds and blend until super smooth.

Nutrition

The post Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Florentina — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 20:06:13 +0000

Best creamy Tuscan white bean soup packed with aromatics, herbs, veggies, beans and kale. An authentic Zuppa Etrusca / Zuppa Toscana finished with a luscious cannellini bean cream that will make you lick your bowls clean. It’s healthy, dairy free, gluten free, good for you and brimming with Italian flavor!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Think of it like a creamy Minestrone soup, a veggie packed rustic and hearty Tuscan bean soup swimming in the most delicious creamy Cannellini bean broth that will have you go back for seconds and thirds. No tomatoes, no dairy, no cholesterol, just pure deliciousness you need to add to your recipe rotation year round. I love topping mine with this viral baked tofu sausage bits, but really it’s perfect as is.

Useful Ingredient Notes

Leeks – a favorite flavor base aromatic especially when paired with potatoes and creamy beans such as in this soup. Remember to rinse well after chopping as leeks can have lots of sand and dirt trapped in between its layers but it easily sinks to the bottom of a bowl of water after just a few minutes if soaking.
Onion + Garlic – for more flavor and nutrition, they compliment the leeks and you don’t have to choose between one or the other unless you want to of course. Use both if available.
Carrot + Celery -More complex aromatic base with a mild sweetness to balance out the earthiness of the other ingredients, to add both body and nutrition.
Fresh Fennel Bulb – A classic Tuscan addition to soups and stews, it has a very mild flavor profile with a special “je ne sais quoi” that will make your soup special.
Fennel Seeds + Rosemary – The herbs and spices that define my Tuscan flavor profile throughout the soup. It’s a beautiful fragrance that permeates all the ingredients and gets better with every passing day as the soup sits in the fridge and all the flavors get to mingle and marry.
Potatoes – Use a golden waxy variety that won’t completely disintegrate in the soup. I want to have little chunks of texture throughout.
Cabbage – a classic healthy ingredient especially during the winter months. You can use thinly sliced Savoy or Nappa varieties here as they are more tender, mild flavored and melt into the other ingredients without overpowering.
Kale – For your dark leafy greens, you can use whatever variety you like with Cavalo Nero aka Dino Kale being the classic go to for this soup. Curly kale, escarole, collard greens, spinach and even Swiss chard will work great. Use this as a reminder to add a bunch of micro nutrient packed dark leafy greens at the end.
Cannellini Beans – your classic Italian beans for more body, texture and protein.
Water vs Stock – You are essentially making a fantastic veggie stock here so there’s no need to add anything but water.

The Cannellini Bean Cream

A heavenly blend of canned cannellini beans, the aquafaba they come packed in and some of the soup broth balanced by freshly squeezed lemon juice. I love adding some fresh grated garlic here to contrast the slow cooked veggie flavors from the broth. It’s so good you could eat it with a spoon. No need for dairy and cholesterol when you have this good for you, protein packed and super delicious cream option ready in no time.

On Storage + Reheating

Like most soups and stews this one also gets better with time, so it will taste better the second and third day after all the flavors mingled and permeated each other. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave oven until hot and bubbly or freeze in individual glass containers for a cold and rainy day. Thaw out overnight in the fridge before reheating.

What to Serve With

How to Make the Best Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup

Tuscan White Bean Soup (Zuppa Etrusca)

Best creamy Tuscan white bean soup packed with aromatics, herbs, veggies, beans and kale. An authentic Zuppa Etrusca / Zuppa Toscana finished with a luscious cannellini bean cream that will make you lick your bowls clean. It's healthy, dairy free, gluten free, good for you and brimming with Italian flavor!

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Tuscan Bean Soup, Zuppa Etrusca

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 286kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

1 small leek
1/2 yellow or white onion diced
1 carrot peeled + grated instead of diced
1 celery stalk diced
1/2 fennel bulb thinly shaved
3 cloves garlic minced
2 sprigs rosemary (chopped leaves only)
2 tsp fennel seeds
4 cups Napa cabbage (thinly sliced + packed)
4 cups gold potatoes small dice
4 cups water
3 cups Cavalo nero kale leaves (thinly sliced, stalks removed)
14 oz can cannellini beans drained
1 tsp fine sea salt + more to taste

Cannellini Cream

14 oz can cannellini beans with liquid
1 lemon juiced
3/4 cup of the reserved soup broth (+ more as needed)
1 large garlic clove grated

Instructions

Clean the Leeks - Slice and clean the leek by soaking it in a large bowl of cold water. Agitate the water so all the sand and grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Allow the leeks to sit in the water for a few minutes until the clean leeks float to the top and all first settles on the bottom of the bowl. Use your hands or a spider ladle to scoop out the clean leeks.
1 small leek
Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the leeks, onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt until they begin to soften and all moisture has evaporated.
1/2 yellow or white onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 small leek
Push veggies to the side and drizzle some olive oil in the center. Add the minced garlic, rosemary and fennel seeds and let them sizzle in the oil until fragrant.
3 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 tsp fennel seeds
Give everything a good stir then mix in the shaved fennel root and Napa cabbage. Sautee until wilted.
1/2 fennel bulb, 4 cups Napa cabbage
Meanwhile scrub and rinse your potatoes well ( no need to peel waxy gold potatoes) then cut them into small dice. Rinse well again then add them to the soup pot together with the water. Bring to a constant simmer and season with the salt. Partially cover the pot and cook the soup for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are completely soft. Reserve 3/4 cup of the broth.
4 cups gold potatoes, 4 cups water, 1 tsp fine sea salt + more to taste
Add in the kale and one can of drained beans and cook a couple more minutes until the kale has wilted. Remove the soup from heat.
3 cups Cavalo nero kale leaves, 14 oz can cannellini beans

Make the Cannellini Cream

Add the can of cannellini beans (with all the liquid  to a powerful blender together with the lemon juice, grated garlic and the reserved broth. Blend until silky smooth adding a little more broth if needed.
14 oz can cannellini beans with liquid, 1 lemon, 3/4 cup of the reserved soup broth, 1 large garlic clove
Add the cannellini cream to the soup pot and combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, red chili flakes, black pepper and herbs. (Garnish ideas: onion chives, parsley, dill, basil and even squash blossoms when in season).

Video

Notes

The Cannellini Bean Cream - A heavenly blend of canned cannellini beans, the aquafaba they come packed in and some of the soup broth balanced by freshly squeezed lemon juice. I love adding some fresh grated garlic here to contrast the slow cooked veggie flavors from the broth. It's so good you could eat it with a spoon. No need for dairy and cholesterol when you have this good for you and super delicious cream option ready in no time.
Fennel Seeds + Rosemary - The herbs and spices that define my Tuscan flavor profile throughout the soup. It's a beautiful fragrance that permeates all the ingredients and gets better with every passing day as the soup sits in the fridge and all the flavors get to mingle and marry.
About the Potatoes - Use a golden waxy variety that won't completely disintegrate in the soup. I want to have little chunks of texture throughout.
Cabbage - a classic healthy ingredient especially during the winter months. You can use thinly sliced Savoy or Nappa varieties here as they are more tender, mild flavored and melt into the other ingredients without overpowering.

Nutrition

The post Tuscan White Bean Soup appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

Florentina — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 22:01:14 +0000

This dairy free Alfredo sauce recipe is the most luscious emulsion made with a base of cashews and olive oil packed with cheesy umami flavor from miso and nutritional yeast. Superbly creamy, delicious but good for you and cholesterol free, this is the best dairy free + gluten free rendition of the cult Italian classic everyone is sure to love. Mangia!

Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

Enjoy your fettuccine Alfredo pasta again in all its delicious splendor and creaminess but free of dairy allergies, inflammation, saturated fat and cholesterol. This Alfredo sauce from scratch is fast and easy to make but incredibly delicious and guaranteed to give the original recipe a run for its money. The best most delicious vegan rendition of the cult Italian classic cream sauce everyone is sure to love.

Useful Ingredient Notes

Cashews – This is where the creaminess factor comes from. You’ll want raw pieces of any size that will be soaked in hot boiling water for 20 minutes or so. This process will soften the nuts but also plump them with extra moisture which will contribute to the smoothness and creaminess of the sauce. This is one place where I highly suggest soaking the nuts even if you have a Vitamix blender, this small step makes a huge difference between creamy and luscious.
Nutritional Yeast – Adds cheesy savory flavor and bonus points for being packed with good for you B vitamins.
Miso Paste – For umami, saltiness and just overall complex flavor. You want to use a white miso for color and you can choose between chickpea or soy, whichever you have in the fridge. Don’t use red miso as it will change the color of the sauce and you really want to stay true to the gorgeous esthetics of a classic Alfredo here, I swear colors taste different.
Garlic – I find 2 large cloves is just the perfect amount here, you can adapt to your taste buds with more or less as you go. You’ll want to grate them first so there’s no chance of any tiny piece ending up in the sauce. The garlic has to work its flavor magic without overpowering the final flavor profile and ideally without anyone really thinking there’s definitely garlic in there. Unless of course you just want it more garlicky, I support you wild child!
Lemon – Freshly squeezed and don’t skip it. It’s important to balance the umami flavor profile.
Olive Oil – Extra virgin cold pressed is the best, same as you would use in a salad dressing. I find 2 to 3 tablespoons is enough to create the rich emulsion I’m after; as always you are free to go heavier with this liquid gold for a richer final texture and flavor.
Purified Water – For blending all the sauce ingredients, you want a neutral profile here so please do not use any store bought plant milk of any kind. Cashews are the base in this sauce and when blended with water it basically yields the richest creamiest whole nut milk without any additives, gums, flavorings of any kind. It’s just like using whole milk but without the dairy and cholesterol.
Salt – Season to taste with a fine sea salt, I only used 1/2 teaspoon because there’s plenty of savoriness already from the miso and nutritional yeast. Adapt to your taste buds.

Serving + Storage

Noodles – Traditionally Alfredo sauce is served with flat and narrow fettuccine noodles and finished with a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Pappardelle and tagliatelle which are both flat but wider make great substitutes if need be. Only coat as many noodles in the sauce as you plan to eat at once. I love to top it with crispy roasted Italian sausage tofu crumbles or a sprinkling of homemade Italian breadcrumbs for crunch.
Leftovers – Store any leftover sauce separate from the pasta up to 5 days. The sauce will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator but will loosen up when reheated. You might need to add a splash of water to thin it out and if desired you can run it through the blender again to re-emulsify it.

Italian Pasta Recipes

how to make dairy free Alfredo pasta sauce

Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

Course Sauces

Cuisine American Italian

Keyword Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 695kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

1.5 cups raw cashews soaked
4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp white miso paste chickpea or soy
2 large garlic cloves grated
1/2 lemon juiced
1 cup water
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more as desired
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
3/4 lb fettuccine noodles (cooked al dente)

Garnish

1 tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, red chili flakes, black pepper, fresh basil.

Instructions

Soak the cashews in boiling hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and add them to the Vitamix blender together with the nutritional yeast, miso, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt and olive oil. Process on the smoothie setting until a silky smooth emulation is achieved. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste with sea salt and add in more water or olive oil if a thinner consistency is desired.
1.5 cups raw cashews, 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 Tbsp white miso paste, 2 large garlic cloves, 1/2 lemon, 1 cup water, 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more as desired, 1/2 tsp sea salt
Meanwhile bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Season heavily with salt and cook the fettuccine noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain well and toss with the Alfredo sauce until coated all over.
3/4 lb fettuccine noodles
Serve garnished with a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, red pepper flake, freshly cracked black pepper and basil.
1 tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, red chili flakes, black pepper, fresh basil.

Video

Nutrition

The post Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce appeared first on Ciao Florentina.

Garlic Breadsticks Recipe

Florentina — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 19:32:55 +0000

Raise your hand if you want garlic breadsticks from scratch using my fan favorite pizza dough recipe. Soft and fluffy center, crisp crust and extra garlicky butter smeared on top before and after baking in the oven for the ultimate flavor profile. Serve with your favorite soup or sauce for dipping!

Garlic Breadsticks

One of the biggest recipe requests this year has been for my homemade garlic breadsticks from scratch. I’ve perfected my recipe using the Neapolitan pizza dough we’ve all been loving for years and it absolutely checks all the boxes: from texture, flavor and of course comfort. The perfect garlicky side to serve with all your fall and winter soups, stews and sauces. Go ahead and save this one in your favorite recipe file as I believe you’ll also be making it for years to come too.

About the Dough

Do yourself a favor and bring out your stand mixer for this one or a large food processor. You’ll want a good knead here for 10 minute or so to help develop the gluten strands, which can of course be done entirely by hand as well if you are up for a workout. I’ll take all the help I can get!

Shaping the Breadsticks

Once you divide the dough into 24 equal pieces you’ll start shaping them. You can do this easily by simply rolling each piece of dough between the palms of your hands into 7 inch ropes or so. At this point you can also twist some of them to make them more interesting as shown in the video tutorial below. Divide them between two trays to give plenty of space for rising without sticking to each other. Alternatively you could make these garlic knots instead instead if you fancy the more artistic process.

The Garlic Butter

I love using a salted cultured and dairy-free butter perfectly softened to room temperature. Stir in the garlic which I either grate or finely mince then balance the pungency with some minced Italian parsley. I smear all the breadsticks with a nice layer before and after baking for the ultimate garlicky flavor profile. Make sure the garlic bits are mixed in well and coated in the fat to prevent burning.

Serving

Best enjoyed warm straight out of the oven with an extra smear of garlic butter, but I’d never turn down a good leftover. Wrap them in parchment paper and store in a plastic bag on the kitchen counter overnight. You can freshen them up in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes before serving. Even the stale ones can be good torn into a bowl of soup Ribollita style.

Make Ahead + Freezing

Once shaped into sticks your dough can be frozen solid on a cookie sheet then wrapped in parchment paper and placed inside a freezer bag. When ready to bake bring it out to room temperature, place on a baking sheet and allow to rise for a couple of hours or until doubled in size before baking per recipe instructions.

What to Serve With

Note Worthy – These are not Grissini, the extra thin and crispy Italian breadsticks usually served in high end restaurants (stay tuned for that recipe in a future post). These are bigger soft and fluffy with a lightly crisp crust perfect for dunking in your favorite soups, stews and sauces.

How to Make Garlic Breadsticks at Home

Garlic Breadsticks

Soft and fluffy breadsticks with a perfectly crips crust made from my Neapolitan pizza dough and slathered in garlicky butter before and after being baked to perfection.

Course Sides

Cuisine Italian

Keyword breadsticks, garlic breadsticks

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings bread sticks

Calories 130kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

The Dough

5 cups all purpose flour + more as needed
1.5 tsp instant yeast
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
2.25 cups warm water

Garlic Butter

1/2 cup salted dairy-free butter softened
4-5 garlic cloves (grated or minced)
1/2 Tbsp Italian parsley minced (+ more for garnish)
1 pinch dry oregano optional

Instructions

In the bowl of your kitchen aid stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the flour, yeast and salt. Start pouring in the water and continue mixing until a dough is formed. (Alternatively you can use your large food processor to make the dough).
5 cups all purpose flour, 1.5 tsp instant yeast, 1.5 tsp fine sea salt, 2.25 cups warm water
Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed (2 or 3) for 10 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky sprinkle in a tablespoon of flour as needed. The dough should stick some to the bottom of the bowl but not to the sides.
Transfer the dough to a working surface sprinkled with flour.
Using a sharp serrated bread knife cut the dough in half then cut each half into 12 equal pieces. (You will have a total of 24 bread sticks)
Roll each piece of dough between your hands into 7 inch ropes. Place them on a large parchment lined baking sheet without touching each other. (You might want to use 2 trays here or just bake 1/2 the dough and refrigerate or freeze the other for later or to make pizza).
Cover the breadsticks with a lint free tea towel and place in a draft free area to let them rise for a couple of hours or until doubled in size. (TIP: If your house is cold you can preheat the oven to 200”F and turn it off. Then store the bread sticks to rise in there).
GARLIC BUTTER - Combine the garlic butter ingredients until creamy. Just before baking use a bread knife and smear a thin layer over each breadstick. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
1/2 cup salted dairy-free butter, 4-5 garlic cloves
Preheat oven to 400”F. Bake the breadsticks for about 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden and making sure none of the garlic topping burns.
Transfer the tray to a cooling rack and while still hot smear the remaining soft butter all over the top. Serve warm with a sprinkling of fresh minced parsley.
1/2 Tbsp Italian parsley, 1 pinch dry oregano

Video

Notes

Storage. Best enjoyed warm but I never turned down a leftover. Wrap them in parchment paper and store in a plastic bag on the kitchen counter overnight. You can freshen them up in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes before serving. Even the stale ones can be good torn into a bowl of soup Ribollita style.
Make Ahead + Freezing. If making the dough in advance you can shape the breadsticks and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Once shaped the breadsticks can be frozen solid on a cookie sheet then wrapped in parchment paper and placed inside a freezer bag. When ready to bake bring them out to room temperature, place on a baking sheet and allow to rise for a couple of hours or until doubled in size before baking per recipe instructions.
Note Worthy - These are not Grissini, the extra thin and crispy Italian breadsticks usually served in high end restaurants, stay tuned for that recipe in a future post. These are bigger soft and fluffy with a slightly crisp crust but not crunchy and skinny.

Nutrition

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