Italian
Piadina romagnola
A warm Romagna flatbread cooked on a hot testo or cast-iron pan, tender from strutto and lightly blistered. It is folded around squacquerone, prosciutto crudo, and peppery rucola while still soft.
Watch it madeGialloZafferano · 4:51
Ingredients
- Italian 00 flour200g
- Strutto, softened25g
- Fine sea salt4g
- Bicarbonate of soda1/4 tsp
- Lukewarm water100ml
- Squacquerone cheese150g
- Prosciutto crudo80g
- Rucola40g
Method
- Combine the flour, salt, and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
- Rub in the softened strutto with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy.
- Add the lukewarm water gradually and mix until a rough dough forms.
- Knead on the work surface for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic but not sticky.
- Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest at room temperature for 25 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal balls and roll each one into a round about 22 to 24 cm wide and 3 mm thick.
- Heat a testo romagnolo or heavy cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Cook one piadina for about 2 minutes per side, pricking any large bubbles with a fork, until pale golden with toasted brown spots.
- Repeat with the second piadina and keep the first wrapped in a clean cloth so it stays soft.
- Spread each warm piadina with squacquerone, add prosciutto crudo and rucola, then fold in half and serve immediately.
Common questions
Can I substitute strutto in piadina romagnola if I don’t have lard?
Yes. Use vegetable shortening or softened unsalted butter in the same amount, but the flavor and texture will be a little less traditional. Lard gives the most authentic, supple piadina with better browning.
How long does the piadina dough need to rest, and can I rest it longer?
Rest it 25 minutes at room temperature so the flour hydrates and the dough rolls easily. You can rest it up to 1 hour covered; longer is fine in the fridge, but bring it back to room temperature before rolling.
What are the most common mistakes when cooking piadina?
The biggest mistakes are overworking the dough, rolling it too thick, and cooking on a pan that isn’t hot enough. Also, don’t let it dry out; keep cooked piadine wrapped in a cloth so they stay soft and foldable.
How should I store leftover piadina dough or cooked piadina?
Wrap dough tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; let it warm up before rolling. Cooked piadina keeps 1–2 days wrapped at room temperature or refrigerated, and reheats best briefly in a hot pan to restore softness.
What’s the best way to serve piadina romagnola with squacquerone, prosciutto, and rucola?
Assemble it while the piadina is still warm so the cheese softens slightly. Spread squacquerone, add prosciutto crudo and rucola, then fold in half. Serve immediately, before the bread cools and loses its supple texture.