Piadina Romagnola

Appearance & taste

The piadina is an irregularly round flatbread 15 to 25 cm in diameter and 4 to 8 mm thick; such flatbreads may be called “spessa” (thick). The “alla Riminese” variant measures 23 to 30 cm and is at most 3 mm thick. The colour ranges from ivory to dark amber, and on both sides there are amber-coloured spots or blisters of different sizes, which form during baking. The surface is irregularly undulating.

It tastes aromatic and smells of fresh bread. According to the gastronomic guides cited in the specification, it is eaten cut into slices or filled and folded over, for example with meat, cured meats and cheese.

Production

For 1,000 g of soft wheat or farro flour there is as much water as is needed for a smooth dough, at most 25 g of salt and up to 250 g of fat: lard and/or olive oil or extra virgin olive oil. Raising agents, up to 300 ml of cow’s milk, up to 20 g of blossom honey and sunflower oil are also allowed, the latter only together with and in a smaller quantity than extra virgin olive oil. Preservatives, flavourings and other additives are not permitted.

The ingredients are mixed in a set order and not kneaded for too long, only until the dough can be rolled out. It is divided by hand or machine into loaves or balls and rolled out into thin rounds. These bake at 150 to 300 °C for up to 4 minutes on a terracotta plate and are turned regularly in the process. All steps from the dough to cooling take place in the area. Processing and packaging may not be interrupted, because the piadina becomes dry and stale in the air. For immediate consumption it is sold in food-grade or tissue paper, for later consumption in tightly sealed bags.

Origin & history

The area is historical Romagna in the east of the Emilia-Romagna region, from the Adriatic coast to the province of Bologna: the provinces of Rimini, Forlì-Cesena and Ravenna and the municipalities of Borgo Tossignano, Casalfiumanese, Castel del Rio, Castel Guelfo, Castel San Pietro, Dozza, Fontanelice, Imola and Mordano.

According to the specification, the piadina spread as a substitute for bread, which was only available in limited quantities. The poet Giovanni Pascoli, born in Romagna, introduced “piada” into Italian as the standard form of the dialect word “piè” and in a poem called it the “national bread of the Romagnoli”. In 1913 Antonio Sassi described piadine in the magazine “Il Plaustro” as the “traditional tasty flatbreads of the Romagnoli”. In the early 1970s the kiosks became established where the “Piadinari” bake the flatbreads for immediate consumption; the packaged piadina later grew out of them. Since 1993 the best kiosk piadina has been awarded a prize every year in Cervia at the “Piadina d’Autore” competition, and since 1998 the “Palio della Piadina” has been held in Santarcangelo di Romagna.