How to make Romagna piadina at home

Here is the homemade piadina, a typical dish of the Emilian tradition that can be filled in many different ways.

Piadina is one of the most loved Italian dishes abroad, perfect to eat at home or to prepare to be enjoyed during a trip out of town. But have you ever tried to make it at home? The dough is actually really simple to make, and you will see how satisfying it is when you serve it on the table with the ingredients you have chosen to fill it.

Let's immediately see all the steps and some secrets to prepare one properly! Ready go!

How to make Romagna piadina: original recipe

1. Place the flour on your workbench and add salt and bicarbonate of soda . Then make the classic fountain with all the powders to start working the dough.
2. At this point, gradually add the water to room temperature (even lukewarm is fine). Mix well and only when all the liquid has been incorporated add more.
3. Continue repeating the operation until you obtain a workable dough.
4. Work it until it reaches a soft and smooth consistency, then wrap it in a sheet of cling film and let it rest for at least 30-40 minutes.
5. At this point, take the dough and cut it into 3-4 equal parts . Shape them into a ball and then roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured surface, trying to obtain the classic circular shape . Pay attention to the thickness, which should be around 2-4 mm .
6. At this point all that remains is to cook it: heat a pan (without adding any condiments) and when it is nice and hot, place the piadina on top. A couple of minutes maximum per side will be enough.

And here is an original video recipe to prepare this typical (and very easy) dish:

Piadina recipe without lard

If you want to try a variant that is lighter, but at the same time respects tradition , you can try making a piadina dough with oil, an ingredient that we will replace the lard. Count about 2 tablespoons of oil for every 300 g of flour, but if the dough is too dry, you can add more.

And if you like, also try using different flours: you will create truly original textures and flavours! Here is the recipe for gluten-free piadina for you!

Piadina: how to fill it

Making a stuffed piadina is a real art. If you want to stay in the Romagna tradition, you absolutely cannot miss trying the one with squacquerone and raw ham, but there are many variations that you can try with your friends during a dinner or an aperitif .

In general, we recommend using a soft cheese and cold cuts, and measuring out the seasonings well. Salt and pepper the ingredients and also add half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to avoid making it too dry .

We then advise you to fill it while you heat it in the pan. This way the cheese will melt slightly and the result will be truly perfect! Then try adding some rocket , salad or vegetables, for example grilled courgettes or aubergines. In short, there are no limits to the imagination!

History and origins of the piadina

Since the times of the ancient Romans , there are traces of a form of bread similar to piadina. The first written testimony of the piadina dates back to 1371 , in the Descriptio Romandiolae , where the cardinal describes the recipe: “It is prepared with wheat flour mixed with water and seasoned with salt. You can also mix it with milk and add a little lard" .

Ancient versions of the piadina sometimes used poorer flours, such as chestnut or acorn flours, especially in mountainous regions.