Among the challenges of hometown pride that so define our country, the biggest debates in Italy tend to center around food – and that includes the rivalry between the piadina romagnola and the crescia marchigiana. In terms of fame, diffusion and numbers, of course, there is no comparison: The piadina – whether it's called ‘sfogliata’ in Rimini or ‘piadina alta’ in Cesenate – wins by leaps and bounds.
But are we judging in terms of objective quality, taste or marketing? Surely then – as it is with the torta al testo from Umbria and the pizze al coppo abbruzzesi – the crescia marchigiana deserves more glory than it currently receives (especially when we consider just how many festivals are dedicated to this recipe, particularly in summertime).
La sfogliata urbinate
But, just like the piadina romagnola, there is crescia and then there’s crescia. The ‘crescia sfogliata di Urbino’ (also called ‘crostolo’) is the recipe most reminiscent of nearby Rimini’s piadina sfogliata: It’s made with flour, water, lard and salt. And then pepper and eggs are added, ingredients that differentiate it from its neighbors further north. The cooking, traditionally, took place on a slab of clay instead of the famous ‘testo romagnalo.’ The flavor is inevitably stronger, with fillings or seasonings that are similar to those used in Umbria, like sausages, prosciutto, chard, pork loin, spinach or cheese. Among the various recipes, there is also the crostolo di Urbania, which uses corn flour instead of white flour.
The favorite from Montefeltro
The origins of this dish are probably similar to the piadina, even if there are gastronomes from the Marche region who consider the crescia urbinate the most ancient recipe (with great scorn for the piadina romagnola, which they consider a “poor cousin” to the crescia urbinate, since it’s made without eggs). According to legend, the crescia was invented by a young baker who, upon seeing the sun “entangled” between the two towers of the Ducal Palace, decided to create a sort of round-shaped focaccia, which he called ‘crescia’ (meaning ‘risen’ in English) to symbolize the bread’s light leavening and the baker’s own desire to fly high.
Legends aside, however, it is certain that the Dukes of Montefeltro already appreciated crescia by the 15th century, despite its nature as a “peasant’s dish.” And the link between the ancient lords and crescia is such that even in nearby Gubbio, an Umbrian city conquered by the dukedom, where the name crescia has remained – even if it’s used to indicate a different product that’s practically identical to the traditional torta al testo. And so the great rivalry of the piadina would soon begin. Romagnolo and inventor of the term ‘piadina’ Giovanni Pascoli was well-aware: "I haven't seen Urbino for more than thirty years. Nothing came to my mind, not even the baciocca (osteria) where we used to make the piadina.”
Pesaro and Fano
In Pesaro and Fano, the recipe for crescia changes a bit, as well. Actually, there are two versions of it. There’s the ‘crescia vonta,’ which is fluffier, greased with lard and seasoned with sautéed cabbage. Then there’s the ‘crescia sfoieta,’ which is made up of many distinct layers.
Ancona
Heading south, the crescia gradually loses its peculiarities, turning into a much simpler flatbread. In Ancona, crescia is made with the same dough as a regular flatbread, though it’s fluffier and usually cooked on a grill or toasted in the oven. The typical seasoning is called ‘sa le foje,’ made from cooked fresh herbs from the garden (from chard to spinach) and meat (like prosciutto, salami or pork). In some parts of the Anconetano region, corn flour is used instead – like the versions in Jesi and Osimo, where they call it ‘cresciola.’
Macerata
To make the Macerata version of crescia, the classic dough recipe is used, but with the addition of extra-virgin olive oil drizzled over the surface (with the classic dimples meant to help retain flavor). For this version, onion and rosemary can be added as a topping. You’ll also find sizzoli – a sort of Italian pork rind – inside this crescia (also called ‘grasselli’ or ‘sgriscioli’) in addition to the occasional (and inevitable) variations with corn flour.
Il chichì ripieno (stuffed chichì) from Ascoli Piceno
In Ascoli Piceno, crescia is not quite as common anymore. It’s been replaced by the ‘chichì ripieno,’ originally from Offida. Fluffier and very similar to focaccia, the chichì is made with a dough of flour, water, salt, yeast, extra-virgin olive oil and malt. No lard is used, and it’s baked in the oven with a delicious filling made from anchovies, capers, bell peppers, olives, tuna and artichokes. It should be noted that in the Marche region, the term ‘crescia’ is often used to refer to a particular Easter cake that has nothing to do with the flatbread in question. And beyond the Tronto, pizza al coppo and pizza scima abruzzese reign supreme.