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| Alternative names | Piadina,piada |
|---|---|
| Type | Flatbread |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Romagna |
| Main ingredients | Flour,lard orolive oil, salt, water |
Piadina romagnola (pronounced[pjaˈdiːnaromaɲˈɲɔːla]) or simplypiadina, traditionallypiada (pronounced[ˈpjaːda];Romagnol:pièda), is a thinItalianflatbread, typically prepared in theRomagna historical region (which mostly consists of the Italian provinces ofForlì-Cesena,Ravenna, andRimini, and theRepublic of San Marino). It is usually made with white flour,lard orolive oil, salt, and water.[1] The dough was traditionally cooked on a terracotta dish (locally calledteggia ortesto),[2] although nowadays flat pans orelectric griddles are commonly used.
Piadina has been added to the list of theprodotti agroalimentari tradizionali (PAT) of theEmilia-Romagna region, and to theprotected geographical indication of theEuropean Union in 2014.[3]
Sinceancient Rome flatbreads like this were used, the first mention of thepiadina was in 1317,[1] in theDescriptio provinciæ Romandiolæ,[4] whenpapal legateAngel de Grimoard describes its recipe: "It's made with grain wheat mixed with water and seasoned with salt. It can also be made with milk and seasoned with a bit of lard."
The etymology of the wordpiadina is uncertain; many think the termpiada (piê,pièda,pìda) was borrowed from theGreek word for 'long, narrow dish'.[2] Others think the term was borrowed from other languages because of the large use of similar foods throughout theEastern Roman Empire. The termpiada was officialised byGiovanni Pascoli, who adapted theRomagnol wordpiè into its more Italian form.[5]
Two different types of traditionalpiadina can be found in Romagna:
Until the 1940s, this type ofpiadina traditionally used to be made with only wheat flour, lard, salt and water. Since families used to be made up of ten people on average,piadina tended to be large, with a diameter of over 40 cm and 1.5–2 cm thick. Generally, no yeast was used, with the exception of small amounts of the samesourdough starter used to make bread. Thepiadina would be cooked on specific artisanal slabs made byfiring a mix of locally sourcedclays in wood-fired ovens.
Since the 1950s,piadina started being made in smaller sizes, with a diameter of 25–30 cm and 0.5–1 cm thick. Slabs made of commonterracotta and produced in localbrickworks were used for the new cooking method, but they were only suitable for cooking over firewood or on newer kitchens, as a flame that could cover the whole underside of the slab was necessary. Starting from the 1960s, trays made ofcast iron, iron and aluminum became widespread thanks to their higher conductivity which made them suitable for gas stoves, making it possible to cookpiadina in any type of kitchen. In order to make thepiadina softer, more crumbly and easier to preserve, leavening agents such asbaking soda and, later on, leavening agents for desserts (mainly composed ofTetrasodium pyrophosphate) were introduced in the recipe.
To avoid the formation of steam bubbles inside the dough during cooking, thepiadina is pierced with a fork. Once well cooked, brick red (never black) spots should be visible, and thepiadina should be held vertically in order to air out and let out moisture. To help this process, specific wooden racks are often used.
Piadina romagnola can vary depending on the area. Around Forlì and Cesena, it is thicker and bigger than in the area aroundImola, where it is smaller and the size of an open hand.[9][10]
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The typicalpiadina in the province of Rimini is quite different than the other type. It is very thin (2–3 mm) and so flexible that it can be folded on itself. During cooking, some bubbles form and create the characteristic so called "eyes". Unlikepiadina romagnola (from Forlì-Cesena and Ravenna), which is supposed to dry out,piadina riminese is supposed to hold a certain amount of moisture and it is therefore placed on a surface or stacked after cooking.
Piadine are usually sold immediately after preparation in specialisedkiosks (calledpiadinerie), filled with a variety of cheeses,salumi, and vegetables,[11] but also with sweet fillings, includingNutella or jam. There may be small differences depending on the zone of production.Piadine produced around Ravenna and Forlì are generally thicker, while those produced around Rimini and theMarche region are thinner and the diameter is greater.[2]
Piadina has even found its way to space, eaten by a Russian astronaut as part of aMediterranean diet experiment on theInternational Space Station.[12]
| La j'è bona in tot i mud, la j'è bona énca scundida sa' n'avì ancora capì, a scor propri dla pida. | Delicious with filling or even served plain, if you haven't already guessed, I am talking about thepiadina. |
According toGiovanni Pascoli,
Nothing speaks more of Romagna than this bread of ours... it is a symbol that speaks of devotion to our land.
— Romagna Piadina: from tradition to flavour[5]
Since the late 20th century, precooked and shelf-stablepiadine have started being available in supermarkets all around Italy. These products are generally similar topiadina riminese, which is more suitable for a longer storage period. APGI procedural guideline has been created for these commercial products and for their large-scale distribution in order to guarantee certain conditions. However, they still are very different than traditionalpiadina that has been freshly cooked at home or in kiosks.[13] The PGI guidelines allow the use of wheat flour produced anywhere and preservatives such as food alcohol, and they allow the sale of products cooked months prior. As a result, these guidelines have been criticized by Romagna restaurant and kiosk owners who produce and sell fresh piadine which are not counted as PGI. Even theSlow Food organization and other Romagna cuisine experts[14] have expressed their criticism in this regard.[15][16][17][18][19]
With the Commission Implementing Regulation No 1174 of the Official Journal of the European Union,[20]piadina romagnola orpiada romagnola, including the Riminese variation, has obtained theprotected geographical indication (PGI) status on the area of the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, Rimini, and the east side of theprovince of Bologna, east of the River Sillaro. Its symbol is a stylised rooster and an ear of wheat.[21]
Japan officially registered the collective trademark ofpiadina romagnola in 2024.[22]
The National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil also registeredpiadina romagnola as a PGI product in 2025, ensuring a protection comparable to that of the European Union.[23][24]
Friedpiada
It is widespread in the area of Forlì,Faenza, and Imola (where manypiadina kiosks prepare it) but it is not too common in the rest of Romagna. It can be made using dough meant for bread, by rolling it out and cutting it in the shape of diamonds or circles to fry in lard. Another way of preparing it is to use the common dough forpiadina and including baking powder or instant yeast to make it less puffy.[25][26]
Greasedpiada
Ancient type ofpiadina made with flour and water kept from the cooking process ofcotechino. This water is not thrown away but used inpiadina as it is already flavoured with fat, salt, and pepper.[7]
Layeredpiada
In the area bordering the region ofMarche, a type of layeredpiadina, similar tocrescia urbinate, is common. To prepare it, the dough is divided into portions which are rolled out, covered with lard, rolled up, shaped into a spiral and finally rolled out again. This procedure makes it possible to create a sheet of dough with internal layers separated by lard, which are still present after cooking.[27]
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