Italian chefs making it gluten-free
By Dori Molozanov
For those of us who stick to a gluten-free diet, dining out can be challenging - especially when your friends are hankering for Italian food.
I enjoy a good salad as much as the next person, but there’s something about chowing down on a hearty Caesar while others at your table dig into a plate of meaty Bolognese that can leave a gluten-intolerant diner feeling a bit left out.
Pasta had always been one of my favorite guilty pleasures before going gluten-free, so I can certainly empathize. Thankfully, there are several appealing options in Philadelphia – which is among the cities with the most restaurants that have completed the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness’ GREAT education awareness training – for those of us who have to (or want to) lay off the wheat.
The idea of gluten-free Italian food may raise some eyebrows at first, but chef Peter McAndrews, owner of Modo Mio, Monsu, Paesano’s, Popolino, and La Porta, isn’t afraid to adapt gluten-free preparation into his cooking. McAndrews first decided to start offering gluten-free dishes at his trattoria-style restaurants after his children were diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago.
“Until they were diagnosed, I had no idea how hard it was to find good gluten-free options,” he says. “It’s important to me that everyone be able to experience the cuisine at my restaurants.”
McAndrews began cooking at an early age and, by his teens, he knew the restaurant business was for him. He studied at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Torino, Italy, and frequently returns to Italy to absorb the cuisine and culture in order to hone his craft. McAndrews has since taken the Philly Italian restaurant scene by storm, opening five restaurants over the course of just six years.
In addition to capitalizing on naturally gluten-free Italian dishes, such as risotto and polenta, McAndrews makes gluten-free pizza – his kids’ favorite – and Paesano’s sandwich shop offers the closest thing to a gluten-free cheesesteak there is. You may have also watched McAndrews put his Paesano grinder up against Bobby Flay’s version in a Food Network Throwdown a couple years back.
When substituting pasta, McAndrews says he prefers corn, as opposed to rice, because of the taste and texture. He also makes his own chestnut gnocchi, which is an especially popular pasta choice for gluten-conscious diners. With the exception of lasagna, every pasta dish at Modo Mio can be made gluten-free.
Peter McAndrews isn’t the only restaurateur in the area to introduce gluten-free dishes into his menu based on inspiration from his personal life. Giorgio Giuliani, owner of Giorgio on Pine, is a veteran in the gluten-free dining scene. The Italian eatery began serving gluten-free dishes about three years ago at the request of Giuliani’s gluten-intolerant friend, and was one of the first restaurants in Philly to make gluten-free pizza. Today, about 25% of its customer base consists of gluten-free diners.
“We even have customers that come from New York and D.C. to eat gluten-free here,” says chef Crystal Fox.
Giorgio on Pine uses Schar, one of the better gluten-free pasta brands on the market, for most of the pasta dishes. So diners can safely chow down on the Spaghetti Pesto or Fusilli Primavera without worrying that they’ll be sacrificing taste for health. With the exception of the homemade pastas and a select few dishes, nearly everything on the menu can be made gluten-free. Giorgio on Pine offers gluten-free pizzas and desserts, as well as breads supplied by Taffets in Philly’s Italian Market.
Louis Campanaro, executive chef of Village Belle in Queen Village, was also motivated by the people closest to him when he began introducing gluten-free dishes into his menu. Many of his relatives and close friends have been diagnosed with celiac disease, and it is important to Campanaro that they feel every bit as “normal” as everyone else.
“We give customers an actual, physical menu so they aren’t as limited,” says Campanaro, who has opted for a separate gluten-free menu at his restaurant, as opposed to simply denoting meals on the regular menu that can be altered with asterisks. “It’s easier, and they don’t feel left out.”
Village Belle’s menu is modern-Italian-meets-Nonna’s-classics, and you don’t have to sacrifice your favorite Mediterranean flavors for the sake of going gluten-free. Pasta options at Village Belle include Bolognese, lobster in a brandy cream sauce, and the especially popular crab gravy.
Louis Campanaro and his brother and co-owner, Joey, returned to the Philly restaurant scene in late 2010, after several culinary undertakings in various parts of the country, to open Village Belle.
“This restaurant is kind of a homecoming for us, we grew up a few blocks away over on Queen Street,” says Campanaro.
Joey Campanaro is still based in New York, where he co-owns Market Table and Little Owl.
These three men own Italian restaurants in the Philly area that serve gluten-free foods, proving that gluten-free can be both adventurous and delicious, but that’s not all they have in common. Each of them was inspired to develop these dishes because of someone close to them. They were motivated by the desire to share their food with as many people as possible – and, thanks to these restaurateurs, no level of gluten intolerance can stand between you and your favorite Italian eats.
Signature dishes:
161 W Girard Ave., 215-203-8707
Gnocchi – potato dumplings with sweet and sour rabbit ragu, red peppers
1328 Pine St., 215-545-6265
Scar Brand Fusili – prosciutto, English peas, and mushroom tossed in a tomato cream sauce
757 S. Front St., 215-551-2200
Gluten-free pasta with tomato crab gravy and jumbo lump crabmeat
Table Matters is an online magazine at the intersection of food, drink, and culture, published by Drexel University's Center for Cultural Outreach.
