Piadina: History, Information, Interesting Facts

The origins of Piadina.

It’s almost impossible to determine the date of birth of ‘Piadina’: we know for sure that it’s the result of the evolution of ‘unleavened bread’ (‘azzimo’ *1), whose origins are lost in time (*2). This could explain why specialties similar to it, sharing the same ancestor, are part of the culinary traditions of many Mediterranean, African and Asian countries (*3).

CLASSICAL PERIOD:

The first evidence of the preparation of unleavened flatbreads (the ancestors of Piadina) in the Italian peninsula, dates back to the Etruscan period: as early as the 10th century BC, this people used to cook circular doughs made with water and cereal flours. A tradition later adopted by the Romans (*4), who particularly appreciated the great practicality of this food: it was, in fact, an excellent alternative to bread, quick to cook, and therefore excellent for feeding their legions. It was also widely used in religious ceremonies and patrician banquets (*5).

MIDDLE AGES:

During the Middle Ages, the consumption of these flatbreads was widespread in many regions (*6) and especially in the area corresponding to present-day Romagna. They soon became the food par excellence of the poorest people, used when bread, for various reasons, started running low (*7). In times of famine their main ingredient, wheat flour (*8), could be added (or replaced) with cheaper cereal flours (*9).
The first written mention of the word ‘Piada’ dates back to the second half of the fourteenth century and can be found in the ‘Descriptio Romandiole’ (1371), a document attributed to the papal legate Anglico de Grimoard.

MODERN PERIOD:

It was the famous poet Giovanni Pascoli, several centuries later (*10), who formalized the name of the delicacy he loved, the ‘Piada’ (*11). For a long time, the specialty remained ‘family food’, prepared by the ‘arzdore’, the housewives from Romagna, for their children and husbands. The situation changed completely after World War II, especially in the 1960s, at the time of the economic boom, when large numbers of Italian and foreign tourists started to pour onto the Adriatic beaches. It was then that the first kiosks (‘Chioschi’) opened along the roads leading to the sea: they were (and still are) the ‘temples of a Piada’, which, in the meantime, had become ‘Piadina’.

Notes:

Piadina Romagnola: ingredients and preparation.

Here follows the ingredients for Piadina Romagnola and the steps necessary for its preparation:

Piadina ‘Romagnola’ and ‘Riminese’

According to the Production Regulations drafted by the Consortium, ‘Piadina Romagnola’, also known as ‘Piada Romagnola’, comes in two types: ‘Piadina Romagnola’, generally made in the hinterland of the region, and Piadina Romagnola ‘alla Riminese’ (or ‘Piada Romagnola alla Riminese’), made in the coastal area, which is, in fact, a variant of the first. The main differences are listed below:

Finally, it should be emphasized that Piadina Romagnola has a stiff and crumbly consistency, while the ‘Riminese’ variant is softer and more elastic (*1).

Nota:
*1: The use of olive oil in the dough makes Piadina more stiff and crumbly, while the use of lard makes it more elastic.

The ‘Crescione’.

‘Crescione’, also known as ‘Cassone’ or ‘Cascione’, is one of the most typical specialties from Romagna. A close relative of Piadina, it’s prepared with the same round pastry which, in this case, before cooking, is stuffed and folded on itself, creating a thin calzone shaped like a half-moon.
The delicacy takes its name from what was once the main ingredient of its most classic filling,the ‘Lepidium sativum’ (later vulgarized in ‘Crescione’): a herb that grew spontaneously along ditches.
Among the other fillings, let’s mention:
Field herbs (rosole, spinach, beets);
Mozzarella and tomato;
Pumpkin and potatoes;
Sausages and/or cured meats can be added, optionally.

The fillings for Piadina.

If there is such a thing as an ‘anarchic’ specialty, this is without doubts Piadina: that’s because it allows great freedom when choosing the ingredients of its filling. Following the example of the most classic type, made with Prosciutto Crudo di Parma (cured ham), Squacquerone cheese, and rocket, this filling quite often consists of a combination of:
Cured meat (eg mortadella, salami, speck, bresaola, culatello, etc.);
Cheese (eg Stracchino, Brie, Robiola, Mozzarella, Scamorza, etc.);
Vegetables (cooked and/or raw) like, for example, sliced tomatoes, grilled and/or sautéed peppers, etc.);
Again, there are no rules other than those dictated by the taste of those who prepare it.
Here follows some examples:
Piadina with Parma Ham, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP and Rocket;
Piadina with Four Cheeses (Gorgonzola DOP, Fontina, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, Parmigiano Reggiano);
Piadina with Porchetta, Pecorino Romano DOP and dried tomatoes;

A ‘Testo’ to cook Piadina.

The most traditional way to cook Piadina involves the use of the ‘Testo’, a particular type of terracotta pan (*1). The most valuable ‘Testi’ (*2) are produced still today in the Montetiffi area and are the result of the efforts of expert artisans. After kneading a mixture of clays, they give it (by hand) the typical circular shape with a raised edge. The work ends with its seasoning and (later) its cooking in a wood oven.
Since the 1960s, ‘Testi’ are used less and less, replaced by metal plates or, in the best of cases, refractory stone surfaces.

Notes:
*1: In dialetto ‘teggia’.
*2 Il poeta Giovanni Pascoli, grande appassionato di Piadina Romagnola, chiamava queste teglie “Testi di porosa argilla”.

‘Chioschi’: the temples of Piadina Romagnola.

‘Chioschi’ (‘kiosks’) are the ‘temples’ of Piadina Romagnola: these small structures were built starting from the 1950s on the sides of the roads that, still today, bring the tourists to the famous beaches of the Riviera. It was thanks to them that Piadina stopped being just ‘food for families’, usually prepared by housewives (the ‘azdore’), to become a gastronomic specialty famous all over the world. The most traditional ‘Chioschi’ are white with vertical bands, whose color is different according to the zone: for example, in Forlì and Cesena these bands are red, in Ravenna they are green.

The IGP certification.

The assignment of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) to Piadina / Piada Romagnola (including its ‘riminese’ variant) was officialized on 4 November 2014, following the publication of the Official Journal of the European Union. This document defined the geographical area of the specialty: an area including the provinces of Rimini, Ravenna, Forlì, Cesena and Bologna (up to the Sillaro river). The PGI certifies the quality of the product and the compliance with the rules contained in the Production Regulations drafted by the Consortium.

Piadina has an indissoluble connection with Romagna, a region located in the northern part of the Italian peninsula.
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THE MOST TRADITIONAL PRODUCERS

This article is made in collaboration with:

The Consortium of defense and promotion of Piadina Romagnola PGI, association bringing together the most traditional producers of this specialty.

Piadina Romagnola PGI, production areas.

According to the Regulations, the original Piadina Romagnola PGI must be produced in these areas:
Province of Rimini:
Click here for the list.

Province of Forlì-Cesena:
Click here for the list.

Province of Ravenna:
Click here for the list.

Piadina Romagnola PGI in video.

Here follows an interesting video, made by the Consortium of Piadina Romagnola, showing the preparation, the places and the people of this delicious specialty.

For some years now, the shops selling Piadina, also known as ‘Piadinerie’, have begun to market, in addition to the traditional one, the ‘Rotolo’ (‘Roll’): this is essentially a Piadina seasoned and then rolled.

Music for Piadina Romagnola.

‘Liscio’, the musical genre par excellence in the Romagna region, made famous by the Casadei family, is undoubtedly the perfect accompaniment to reading an article dedicated to Piadina:

Note: join Spotify and listen to the full songs.

About half of the ‘Piadine’ marketed have the IGP certification. The success of this specialty in the world is clearly expressed by the official sales numbers, published by the Consortium. Numbers that testify a constant increase in sales:
2014: 6.768 tons;
2016: 12.100 tons;
2017: 13.500 tons;
2018: 20.250 tons;

Being an unleavened bread, Piadina has a fairly high specific weight: a portion of average size can easily exceed 130 grams.
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Even before Piadina became the successful specialty we know so well today, it was the ‘Azdore’, the housewives from Romagna, who stretched its dough into thin sheets. To complete this task, they used their trusty rolling pin, also known as ‘sciadur’.

The production of ‘Testi’ from Montetiffi in video.

Here follows an interesting video, made by the Consortium ‘Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli di Rimini’ and showing the production of the ‘Testi’: the terracotta pans used to cook the most traditional Piadina Romagnola.

It’s almost useless to say that the choice of wine to accompany a Piadina varies according to its filling.
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The Consortium of defense and promotion of Piadina Romagnola PGI was constituted to protect and promote a specialty, the Piadina, which over time has become much appreciated all over the world.
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