Piadina

Piadina Recipe

Piadina (or you may see it called 'piada') is a wonderful flatbread, which is original to the Romagna region of Italy. Festive little 'piadina' stands pepper the region, especially near the sea. These stands are recognizable by the red or light blue and white stripes that decorate the closet-sized establishments. One or two people work like bees to prepare and sell these delicious, fresh Italian sandwiches made from unique flatbread and a huge choice of Italian meats, cheeses and vegetables.  A piadina stuffed with ingredients of choice, then folded over and cooked closed into a half-moon shape is called a crescione and is one of the most delightful foods in this land of delightful foods.

Making these piadina at home is pretty easy and very satisfying.

This recipe makes 8 to 10, depending on how big you want them

- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons of shortening
- 1/2 cup warm water

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl or flat wooden board. Make a well in the flour, add the shortening, and a small amount of the water, incorporating more water every minute or so until it is all mixed into the dough and the dough begins to take shape. Mix well and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, between 5 and 10 minutes. Cover with a towel for about 20 minutes. Knead again and divide into 8 to 10 equal balls. Sprinkle with flour and roll out into a 6- to 8-inch wide circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Pierce with a fork and cook on a very hot dry griddle or cast iron frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side. When cooked, little charred bubbles form on the dough. They need to be checked fairly regularly as the process goes quickly. When cooked, lean them up on their sides to cool.

Now the piadine are ready for anything you'd like to put on them. Traditionally they will be cut in half or quarters and eaten with some combination of prosciutto, ham, salame, sausage, mozzarella and spinach. Also, Italians love to eat piadina for breakfast with jam or nutella.