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Piadina
Piadina romagnola: quick griddled flatbread from the Romagna coast
Piadina is Romagna's everyday bread, cooked on a hot griddle (traditionally a terracotta testo) in chalet-style kiosks from Rimini to Ravenna and eaten folded around soft squacquerone cheese and rocket, or with grilled vegetables. It needs no yeast and is ready in half an hour, which is why families make it at home for quick suppers. The old recipe uses lard; olive oil gives a lighter, vegetarian result. Chef's tip: let the griddle get properly hot and cook the piadina dry, without oil; you want brown freckles and a few blisters, not a fried bread.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
To fill
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder and ¾ tsp salt. Add 2 ½ tbsp olive oil and ½ cup warm milk and water, half and half and mix to a soft dough. Knead for 3–4 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky.
4 minStep 2: Divide into 4 balls, cover and rest for 10 minutes so the dough rolls out without springing back.
10 minStep 3: Roll each ball into a thin circle about 22 cm across and 3 mm thick. Prick all over with a fork. Common mistake: rolling too thick; the centre stays doughy before the outside browns.
Step 4: Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle over a medium-high heat for 3 minutes, without oil. Cook one piadina at a time for 1–2 minutes a side, until brown spots appear and it puffs in places. Press down any big bubbles with a spatula.
12 minStep 5: Stack them in a clean tea towel to keep them soft. While still warm, spread one half with 7 oz squacquerone, stracchino or soft cream cheese, add 2 ⅛ oz rocket and 2 tomatoes if using, fold over and eat.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does piadina take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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