Piadina is like bread in Romagna – and perhaps even more popular! In this region of Italy, piadina is not just served as an accompaniment to meals; by now, it’s become a full-fledged dish in its own right. There’s really no other recipe so delicious and so connected to the Romagna territory – even if some versions are poorly reproduced or misinterpreted. After all, piadina is piadina: There are some serious rules to follow if you want to avoid making it the wrong way. A recipe like this must be protected; we can’t afford altering such a perfect recipe of tradition!
The history of piadina
The spread and immense success of the piadina began in the 1950s – a time when the very first kiosks appeared along the roads winding up the beaches of the Adriatic Riviera, where vendors sold piadina filled with ingredients like pork, sausages, cabbage, grilled eggplant, tomatoes and cheese. Once the vacationing tourists started to catch on, the piadina began to spread first nationally, then internationally. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly rare to find the artisanal recipe because the industry has transformed the piadina into an item of mass consumption (often presented in varying degrees of not-so-high quality). But for the real deal, we’ve got you covered! Here’s the authentic recipe for piadina that serves four people – just as they made it in Romagna tradition.
The piadina: no laughing matter
Pour 1 lb flour onto a pastry board. Add a pinch of salt, 1 oz lard, and 1 sachet of yeast. Knead the ingredients together, adding any necessary lukewarm water for a smooth and elastic dough. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes, making sure it is protected from drafts and humidity. Then knead the dough once more – placing it on the floured pastry board once more to roll it out until 5 mm thick. Finally, create a few discs (about 18-20 cm in diameter) to cook in a very large, flat-bottomed frying pan, rotating it only once to cook on both sides.
Classic fillings and more
The potential fillings for piadina are endless and vary greatly according to personal taste and the seasonal ingredients at your disposal (i.e. fresher flavors for summer and more delicate flavors for winter). The evergreen option, however, will always be squacquerone cheese and arugula! Here’s how to do it:
Spread a light layer of squacquerone cheese on the piadina with a spatula or with the back of a spoon. After spreading the cheese, cut the piadina in half. (Cutting it before will make it more difficult to spread the cheese over the surface.) Add slices of prosciutto crudo and arugula leaves.
An extra tip: If you prefer sweeter and more delicate flavors, opt for San Daniele prosciutto crudo. On the other hand, if you are looking for more decisive flavors, go for a prosciutto di Parma (cured for 36 months) or Mora romagnola prosciutto crudo. Now fold the piadina in two and serve hot.
Yes, the possibilities for piadina fillings are endless, but be careful not to make one of the most common philological errors on the subject. The classic piadina is not a kebab, so please don’t serve it rolled up!