Enjoying Italian food without eating gluten might seem as impossible as trying to find an open spot at the spiaggia libera on the Amalfi Coast in August. The entire cuisine is seemingly built upon the backs of pizza and pasta, not to mention the country-wide rituals of a morning cornetto, lunchtime panino, and torta for dessert. 

Famous regional specialities are often wheat-filled, from Liguria’s focaccia, Tuscany’s cantucci, and Puglia’s taralli to the breaded delights of Lombardy’s costoletta and Sicily’s arancini. How can you truly enjoy Italian food if you’re skipping out on all of these beloved dishes or opting for sub-par, gluten-free alternatives?