🇮🇹 Italian · Bread
🫓 Piadina Romagnola
Piadina Romagnola
A thin, unleavened flatbread from Romagna, griddled quickly and folded around fillings like prosciutto, squacquerone cheese, and arugula — the region's beloved answer to a sandwich wrap.
Piadina's simple dough, just flour, water, fat, and salt, needs no rising time, making it a genuinely quick bread to prepare, and its griddled, slightly charred surface is what gives it the flexible, chewy texture perfect for folding around fillings.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Large flat griddle or heavy skillet
- 400 g (3 cups) 00 flour
- 80 g (⅓ cup) lard or olive oil
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) warm water
- 8 g (1½ tsp) salt
- 5 g (1 tsp) baking soda (optional, for a softer texture)
- Prosciutto crudo, squacquerone or stracchino cheese, and arugula, for filling
Method
- Combine the flour, lard or oil, salt, and baking soda if using.
- Gradually add the warm water, bringing the mixture together into a smooth, soft dough.
- Knead briefly until elastic, then rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll each out into a thin round, about 25cm across.
- Prick the surface lightly with a fork to prevent excessive puffing.
- Cook on a hot, dry griddle or heavy skillet for 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly charred in spots and cooked through.
- Keep warm, wrapped in a clean cloth, while cooking the remaining piadine.
- Fill each warm piadina with prosciutto, cheese, and arugula, fold in half, and serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- Roll the dough thin and even so it cooks through quickly without burning on the outside.
- A dry, very hot pan or griddle is essential for achieving the characteristic light char without drying the bread out.
- Keep finished piadine wrapped in a cloth to stay warm and pliable while you cook the rest.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rolling the dough too thick, resulting in a doughy rather than thin, flexible flatbread.
- Cooking over heat that's too low, leaving the piadina pale and tough rather than lightly charred and tender.
- Overfilling, making the piadina difficult to fold and eat neatly.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A versatile bread that can be made vegan by using olive oil instead of lard.
Cultural Note
Piadina is so central to Romagna's identity that roadside piadina stands (piadinerie) are a common sight throughout the region, each with its own devoted local following.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Store cooked, unfilled piadine wrapped for up to 2 days; reheat briefly before filling.
Reheating: Warm briefly on a hot dry pan or griddle before filling and serving.
Serve with: Cold cuts, Fresh cheeses, A simple side salad