How to make gluten free pizza and a chance to win a trip to Italy.

I came across an awesome Giveaway on Twitter this morning! A week long trip to beautiful Lucca, Italia and a chance to learn how to make gluten free pasta and delicious meals with hands-on cooking classes.

Why am I so excited about this giveaway (scroll down to enter) that I had to share it on our blog? It’s because our daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease, an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, about a year ago. I realized a while ago that finding gluten free products and creating meals that actually taste good can be a pain. Although a lot of people talk about ‘gluten free’, most products on our local grocery store shelves are still overly expensive.

Buy Gluten Free Bread

Just last night we tried our hands at a made-from-scratch gluten free pizza for the first time.

The pizza dough recipe we decided to use was not much different than what I’m used to for making regular pizza’s but it asked for xanthia gum which is rather expensive at our local store, so we didn’t use it.  The clerk actually told my daughter in a Jersey accent: “If you can’t pronounce it, then you don’t need to use it.”

I didn’t know that the xanthia gum powder is used to add volume and viscosity to bread and other gluten-free baked goods. Oh well, the pizza still turned out alright, although the dough really didn’t taste all at great.

Here is a link to the pizza recipe we used as our guide – Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza

Creating gluten free meals that are appealing to the palate is harder than I thought.

Cooking with Carla the founder of Jovial Foods

Jovial Foods, Inc. was founded by a husband and wife team who has always been passionate about food, farming and traditions. They have a similar story: “Carla and Rodolfo discovered that their young daughter’s asthma, stomach disturbances, mood swings, chronic sinusitis and excessive hair loss was caused by her body’s sensitivity to modern wheat.” Read more about their story here.

Now, let’s get to the giveaway! This will be the gluten free culinary getaway that you are sure to remember for some time to come.

It starts off with a traditional Italian welcome dinner, then moves right into gluten free fresh pasta making with Carla, her family, and Jovial’s local pasta artisans. You will be learning from the experts.

The focus during the week’s stay will be on gluten free sourdough bread baking and learning how to prepare naturally gluten free traditional Italian foods, with great conversation and delicious meals to follow. You’ll also learn to prepare traditional Italian foods with carefully selected seasonal vegetables, heritage meats, and fresh fish.

Trip Details

Enter through 6/30/2015. Winner will be announced on July 1, 2015.

Prize Package Includes:

• Airfare and ground transportation to Lucca, Italy
• 8 days, 7 nights in a beautifully restored 18th century villa
• Hands-on cooking classes & the delicious meals that follow!
• Daily breakfast with an assortment of freshly prepared baked goods and local delicacies
• Welcome Dinner & Farewell Dinner
• Choice of Travel Dates: October 3-October 10, 2015: Gluten Free in Italy or
  October 10-October 17, 2015: Cooking with Einkorn

The winner has a choice of Getaways: All About Einkorn or Gluten Free Italian Style.

I’m hoping to win this Culinary Getaway of a lifetime myself, but wish you the best of luck. Learn more here…

2017 Update: Sadly, we didn’t win the getaway when I wrote this articles. Lucky for us, they offer a getaway twice a year, once in the Spring and one in the Fall. Click the link above to find out more.

Happy cooking,

Silke Jager

Have you been to beautiful Italy and enjoyed the local fare? Leave me a comment below.