Growing up in Sydney’s inner west, Helen Tzouganatos was raised on the Mediterranean diet.

“Our pantry was always stocked with quality extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, kalamata olives, artisanal cheese, fresh herbs and an abundance of dried spices,” the TV host, recipe developer and food photographer writes in her new cookbook, Gluten-Free Mediterranean.

These nourishing ingredients – along with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and smaller amounts of red meat and dairy – make it one of the healthiest eating patterns in the world.

Thankfully, as Tzouganatos discovered when she was diagnosed with coeliac disease herself, the diet is also largely gluten-free as it’s based on whole, unprocessed foods.

Most Mediterranean recipes can be made gluten-free with a few simple tweaks.

Quinoa is a great replacement for bulgur and couscous, for example, and when it comes to making pie crusts, sweets and rustic cornbread, polenta makes an excellent substitute for wheat flour.

“I love witnessing the reaction of my family and friends when I serve them a slice of syrup cake that is just as good, if not better, than the gluten version,” Tzouganatos writes.

“Seeing the surprise and delight on their faces is always so rewarding.”

Here are four delicious gluten-free recipes to try at home.

Chicken shawarma

When I was at university, a chicken shawarma wrap slathered in garlicky toum was one of my favourite late-night street foods. The exotic spices wafted from the kebab shop luring me in and the incredible taste of heavily spiced meat was hard to match. Fast-forward 20 years and I make shawarma regularly for dinner as it requires minimum effort for explosive flavour. Simply throw a few Middle Eastern pantry spices in a bowl, add the chicken and allow the magic of the fragrant marinade to work overnight. The next day you are rewarded with a spice flavour bomb. You can serve shawarma with a vibrant fresh salad like tabbouleh.

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg skinless chicken thigh fillets
• toum, gluten-free (see recipe below)
• gluten-free pita bread (see recipe below) and lemon wedges, to serve

Garlicky marinade

• 4 large garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (add more for extra spice)
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

METHOD

1. Lightly score the thick part of the chicken thighs with a couple of incisions to help the meat cook evenly.
2. Combine the garlicky marinade ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the chicken and massage the marinade into the flesh. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (if you are rushed for time, you can marinate the chicken for 1 hour; longer marination equals more flavour).
3. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and bring to room temperature. Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue grill plate until very hot. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until nicely charred. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through. Rest the chicken for 4 minutes before thickly slicing. Serve with toum, pita bread and lemon wedges.

Serves 4-6

Note: Chicken thigh fillets are best for this dish because they have more fat, giving you juicy, tender meat, but you can also use chicken breast fillets if you prefer.

Toum (garlic dip)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled
• 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes, plus extra if needed
• 250ml (1 cup) light olive oil
• 1 egg white
• juice of 1 lemon, plus extra if needed

METHOD

1. Place the garlic, salt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a food processor and blitz to form a coarse garlic paste (this will take a couple of minutes as you will need to stop and scrape down the side of the bowl several times). Add the egg white and whiz until light and airy. With the motor running, very slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil until you have a creamy mixture. Add the lemon juice and whiz again to combine. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if required. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Gluten-free pita bread

INGREDIENTS

• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp dried yeast
• 195g (1½ cups) gluten-free plain flour
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

METHOD

1. Place the caster sugar, yeast and 180ml (¾ cup) of lukewarm water in a jug and whisk to combine. Leave to stand for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture foams.
2. Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and crush in the salt flakes with your fingers. Pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil and mix for about 1 minute to form a ball.
3. Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and rest in a warm spot for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. (If you are making the dough ahead of time, it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
4. Divide the dough into four even portions and roll into balls. Working with one ball at a time, drizzle over a little olive oil and massage to coat. Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to form a thin 20 cm round.
5. Heat a cast-iron frypan over high heat and drizzle in a little olive oil. Remove the top layer of baking paper from the dough, then flip the round into the hot pan and peel away the remaining baking paper. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and puffy. Remove the bread from the pan and cover with a tea towel to keep warm while you cook the rest.

Crispy barramundi with tahini sauce and watercress-pomegranate salad

Tahini with fish is a common pairing in Middle Eastern countries. The creaminess of tahini is a much healthier – and, in my opinion, much tastier – alternative to butter, and it works brilliantly. Crispy pan-seared barramundi with its flaky, delicate flesh is the perfect partner to tahini’s creaminess and is super quick to prepare. Sumac-kissed watercress accompanied by antioxidant-rich pomegranate seeds adds freshness and vibrancy to a clean and healthy express dinner.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 x 180g barramundi fillets, bones removed
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Tahini sauce

• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp honey
• pinch of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Watercress-pomegranate salad

• 1 bunch of watercress sprigs
• handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

METHOD

1. Whisk the tahini sauce ingredients in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in a little cold water while whisking to create a thick, smooth puree. Set aside.
2. Thoroughly pat the skin on the fish to remove any moisture (dry skin equals crispy fish). Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over both sides of the fish and season with the salt and pepper. Massage the seasoning all over the fish.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the fish, skin-side down, in the pan and use a spatula to press down on it for 20 seconds (this creates strong contact between the skin and the hot pan and prevents the fish from curling up). Cook for 4-5 minutes until crispy. Flip the fish over and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate and rest in a warm place for a few minutes.
4. Meanwhile, to make the watercress-pomegranate salad, combine the watercress, parsley and pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, sumac, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper to make a dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
5. To serve, divide the tahini sauce and salad among serving plates and place the fish on top.

Serves 4

Patates lemonates (Waxy lemon oregano potatoes)

Incredibly simple but tasty, these potatoes are the must-have side dish at every barbecue. First, ensure you purchase the correct type of potato – you want the waxy texture of a desiree or pontiac – that softens nicely but still holds its shape. Second, ensure there is enough liquid in the tin, so the snug potato wedges braise nicely – they need to be almost submerged. Perfect these two simple rules and your potatoes will be wonderfully flavourful every time.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.2kg waxy potatoes (such as desiree or pontiac), cut into wedges
• 1½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
• pinch of freshly ground white pepper
• 375ml (1½ cups) gluten-free chicken stock (see recipe below) or water
• 80ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 small lemon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
2. Place the potato wedges snugly in a 30cm × 25cm roasting tin. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt and white pepper. Add the stock or water, olive oil and lemon juice and toss to combine (the potato wedges should be almost submerged in the liquid; if not, add some water).
3. Braise the potato wedges, tossing them a few times to ensure even browning, for 1½ hours or until soft and golden. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required, then serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Note: If you don’t have any chicken stock, add a gluten-free chicken stock cube to the liquid in the tin for a flavour boost.

Gluten-free chicken stock

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg chicken bones
• 1 large carrot, cut into thirds
• 1 large onion, halved
• 1 large celery stalk, cut into thirds
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 3 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 5 black peppercorns
• generous pinch of sea salt flakes

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients in a stockpot and pour in 3 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, occasionally skimming off the scum that rises to the surface, for 3 hours.
2. Strain the chicken stock through a sieve into a bowl and discard the solids. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Biskota marmalades (Jam biscuits)

I first fell in love with these biscuits because of their pretty shape and was intrigued by the way my mother treated her dough like a pizza – rolling it into a circle, slicing it into 8 triangles, then rolling each slice inwards to form a scroll. The technique sounds impressive but, trust me, it is very easy to execute. The addition of almond meal gives the dough extra buttery notes and prevents it from cracking when rolled. The lemon zest pairs beautifully with the raspberry jam filling.

INGREDIENTS

• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 115g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 200g gluten-free plain flour
• 60g almond meal
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• pinch of sea salt flakes
• 160g (½ cup) raspberry jam
• pure icing sugar, sifted, for dusting

METHOD

1. Place the butter and caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon zest and beat until incorporated. Add the flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. Separate the dough into three balls. Working with one ball at a time, place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to form a round slightly larger than a 23cm dinner plate. Place the plate on the dough and trim around the edge with a sharp knife. Slice the round into eight pieces like a pizza. Place ½-1 teaspoon of jam on each slice closer to the outer edge. Gently roll each slice inwards to form a scroll. Transfer the scrolls to the prepared tray. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and jam.
4. Bake the scrolls for 15 minutes or until crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with a little icing sugar to finish. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 24

Variation: For a chocolatey version, you can replace the jam with Nutella.

This is an edited extract from Gluten-Free Mediterranean by Helen Tzouganatos, published by Plum, RRP $44.99, photography by Jeremy Simons. Buy now