Nut-Free Italian Recipes
Almonds, pine nuts and hazelnuts appear in many Italian sweets and sauces, but there are plenty of classic dishes without them. These nut-free recipes from our Tuscan cooking classes include lasagna, ricotta and spinach gnudi, focaccia, minestrone and other soups, slow-cooked meats and vegetables, and desserts such as tiramisù, panna cotta, budino and schiacciata alla fiorentina.
Recipes with nuts as an essential ingredient, like pesto, cantuccini or almond cakes, are not included. If you are cooking for someone with a nut allergy, check the labels of bought ingredients such as savoiardi biscuits, chocolate and stock cubes, which may contain traces of nuts.
Fresh egg pasta: how to make it with a pasta machine
Many people who come to our cooking school in Italy feel intimidated by the idea of making pasta from scratch. Once they see how easy and enjoyable it is, they become hooked! Put some music on in your kitchen, and take your time.
Tuscan cauliflower with tomato, rosemary and fennel seeds
Even self-professed cauliflower haters will love this dish, if you can convince them to try it.
Caramelized pear and fig upside-down tart
You can make this tart with pretty much any fruit, but the combination of figs and pears is divine! During our cooking classes in Tuscany, we use ripe figs from the trees at the top of the hill.
Baked butternut squash gnocchi in tomato sauce
These are not like boiled gnocchi at all, but are creamy balls of squash baked in a tomato sauce. Guests who come on our cooking courses in Italy say that they are one of their favorite fall dishes.
Turkey breast roll stuffed with herbs and grapes, cooked in milk
This is our family dish which has been passed down through the generations and adapted a little. A butterflied turkey breast is stuffed with herbs and grapes, rolled up and tied and cooked in milk.
Spring minestrone: light Tuscan vegetable soup with beans
A slow-cooked minestrone made with fresh seasonal ingredients and served with good bread is a healthy and delicious dinner or lunch.
Calamari ripieni: Italian stuffed squid in white wine and tomato sauce
Cleaning whole squid can look daunting the first time, but it’s easier than it seems, and fresh calamari are well worth it. Here the tubes are filled with garlic, parsley, olives and breadcrumbs, then simmered in white wine and tomato until tender. A coastal Italian classic, with step-by-step photos.
Dairy-free lemon custard (crema de llimona)
Made without milk, this lemon custard popularized by the Catalan chef Carme Ruscalleda is light, tangy and refreshing. Naturally gluten-free and very quick to prepare, it is lighter than classic lemon curd and an ideal summer dessert.
Tuscan slow-cooked green beans with tomato and basil
This is a signature dish of the late great Mario, the multitalented father of Tina who used to be one of our amazing instructors at our cooking classes in Italy. You may say that you like your green beans to be firm and crunchy, but after tasting this dish you may also appreciate their sweet, melt-in-the-mouth quality when slow cooked.
Sicilian orange and fennel salad with black olives
The most refreshing of winter salads, this sounds a little odd, but is wonderful!
Tuscan minestrone with cavolo nero and beans
The distinctive taste of this soup comes from the cavolo nero ("black cabbage"). This has recently been popularized by chefs such as Jamie Oliver and is now available in many farmers' markets.
Artichoke risotto (risotto ai carciofi)
The best types of rice for making risotto are: Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone nano. These have round grains and are starchy, becoming creamy when cooked.
Baked fennel with oranges and olives
Baked Fennel with Oranges and Olives is a light, fragrant, and incredibly simple dish to prepare. Inspired by the classic Sicilian fennel and orange salad, this version takes the same refreshing ingredients and transforms them in the oven, deepening their flavors. The sweetness of the oranges, the subtle anise notes of the fennel, and the briny kick from the black olives come together beautifully in this elegant side dish.
Tiramisù without raw eggs: our cooking-class recipe
Tiramisu (literally “Pick me up”) seems to have been around for generations, but is in fact a creation from the 1970s! The version that we teach at our cooking school in Tuscany uses custard.
Tuscan mushroom crostini with porcini and Vin Santo
Best served warm, these crostini will have your guests demanding more. You'll see that the vin santo gives the mushrooms a very special flavour, and the butter gives them a melt in the mouth texture.
Rustic half whole wheat focaccia with rosemary
An easy but unusual focaccia recipe which makes a rustic-textured, half wholewheat bread. Ideal to eat with cheeses and salad.
Asparagus and sausage pasta sauce
A quick spring pasta sauce of asparagus and Italian sausage, made creamy by blending part of the asparagus with olive oil. No cream needed. Ready in 30 minutes.
Homemade potato gnocchi (plus spinach gnocchi)
The less flour you use, the lighter the gnocchi will be, but the more likely it will be to go mushy while you wait to cook it, handle it and when it is cooking in the water.
Peperonata: Italian sweet and sour stewed peppers
This dish is even nicer the day after it has been made and is delicious warm, cold and at room temperature!
Tuscan pork stew with white wine, sage and rosemary
The white wine, stock and slow cooking make the pieces of pork really melt in your mouth.
Polpettone: Tuscan meatloaf with vegetables, in tomato sauce
This dish is colourful, moist, flavoursome and very comforting.
Tuscan bean and farro soup (zuppa di farro)
This bean and spelt soup hails from the Lucca region of Tuscany, known for its hearty, honest cuisine. Rich in legumes and grains, it’s a rustic, comforting dish made with farro, borlotti beans, and good olive oil. Creamy and nourishing, this traditional Luccan soup is perfect for cozy winter dinners.
Schiacciata alla fiorentina: Florence’s orange Carnival cake
Schiacciata alla Fiorentina is a fluffy, delicately scented Mardi Gras cake. It is one of the dairy-free desserts that we make during our cooking courses in Italy.
Crostini with roasted peppers and goat cheese
Crostini are little appetizers that you can invent yourself depending on what’s in season and what ingredients you happen to have around. We often serve these crostini (which are red, white and yellow) alongside our green salsa verde crostini. A pretty combination!