Piadina
Romagnola
Griddled flatbread from Romagna
A tender wheat flatbread cooks on a hot griddle until spotted brown, ready to fold around cheese, cured meat or vegetables.
Thin flatbreads with their griddle marksA hot griddle,
a soft flatbread.
Piadina is a round flatbread made from flour, water and fat, cooked on a flat hot surface rather than in an oven. Lard gives this version a tender texture. Brown spots mark the surface, while the bread stays supple enough to fold around a filling.
It is closely associated with Romagna, the eastern part of Emilia-Romagna. Thickness varies, with thinner examples common around Rimini. Kiosks serve it warm with combinations such as soft cheese, arugula and prosciutto. The recipe below makes the bread itself, leaving fillings to the meal you are planning.
Explore by food: Bread, pizza & street food
Let’s make piadina romagnola.
Rest the dough, roll it thin and cook each round in a dry skillet.
Six flatbreads, about 22 cm across; no fillings included.
What you’ll need
- 500 gplain flour, plus 20 g for rolling
- 80 glard, softened
- 250 mllukewarm water
- 8 gfine salt
- 1 tspbaking powder
The 25-minute cooking estimate is for six rounds in one pan. A small griddle may need more time; avoid high heat that scorches the flour before the center cooks.
How to make it
- 01
Mix and knead
Combine 500 g flour, salt and baking powder. Rub in lard, then add water gradually to make a soft, nonsticky dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth.
- 02
Rest the dough
Cover and leave for 30 minutes. Divide into six balls and roll each on a lightly floured surface into a 22 cm round, about 3 mm thick, using the extra flour sparingly. Cover and rest the rounds for 15 minutes.
- 03
Griddle one at a time
Heat a heavy dry skillet over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium. Cook each round for about 2 minutes per side until brown-spotted and cooked through. Prick large bubbles with a fork and lower the heat if the surface colors before the middle cooks.
- 04
Keep them supple
Stack the cooked piadine under a clean towel and serve warm. Add fillings separately if desired.
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