PIADINA

(Adapted from ITALIAN CUISINE Basic Cooking Techniques by Tony May)

Piadina are a specialty of Emilia Romagna. They are thin, flat disks, chewier and firmer than bread. Originally, piadina was cooked on an earthenware plate called a testo, which was placed over hot coals. Today, piadine (pl.) are made on the range top using a modern day testo of ghisa (cast iron) or a heavy well-seasoned black cast-iron pan.

Ingredients

3 3/4

Cups

Unbleached all-purpose flour (500 grams)

3

Tbl.

High quality lard or grams extra virgin olive oil (50 grams)
1 Tsp. High quality lard or grams extra virgin olive oil (5) grams)

1

Tsp.

Fine salt

1 1/3

Cups

Water (315 grams)

Procedure

Pour the flour on the work surface forming a fountain. Add the lard (or extra-virgin olive oil) and knead the dough using just enough lukewarm salted water to obtain a rather firm dough. Knead vigorously for approximately ten minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes.  Divide the dough in 6 equal pieces. Roll or stretch each piece of dough into a disk 8 inches in diameter. Riddle each disk with the tines of a fork. 

Heat a heavy well-seasoned black cast-iron pan on the range top. Before cooking, test the pan by letting a few drops of cold water fall on it. The pan is ready when the water skips and sputters across its surface. If the water just sits and boils, the pan is not hot enough to use. When the pan is hot, place a disk of dough on its surface. Let the disk heat well on one side and then turn it over. When little charred bubbles form on each side of the disk, the dough is ready. Cook each disk of dough in this manner, stacking the cooked piadine in a towel so that they stay warm.

Serve the piadine plain as a bread substitute, or cut into wedges with slices of prosciutto, salami, cooked ham, or grilled sausage. Piadine may also be heaped with sautéed, garlicky field greens, or folded over with a filling such as cheese, mortadella, or a cooked green vegetable such as radicchio or broccoli raab.

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Last updated on: 10/07/01 11:10:54 PM