Piadina

Piadina or piada is a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna region (Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini). It's usually made with white flour, lard (or olive oil), salt and water. The dough was traditionally cooked on a terracotta dish (called "teggia" in the Romagnolo dialect), although nowadays flat pans or electric griddles are commonly used.

The etymology of the word "piadina" is uncertain; many think the term "piada" (piê, pièda, pìda) was borrowed from the Greek word for focaccia. Others think the term was borrowed from other languages because of the large use of similar foods throughout the Eastern Roman Empire. Romagna was heavily influenced by Byzantium during the early Middle Ages when the Eastern Empire tried and reconquered parts of the Western domain which had fallen to the invading barbarians. In those days Ravenna was the capital city of the Exarchate, and that would explain how the Greco-Byzantine recipe entered the local gastronomy.

Piadinas are usually sold immediately after preparation in specialized kiosks (called "piadinerie") filled with a variety of cheeses, cold cuts and vegetables, but also with sweet fillings such as jam or Nutella. There may be small differences depending on the zone of production. Piadinas produced around Ravenna are generally thicker, while those produced around Rimini and the Marche region are thinner and the diameter is greater. Piadinas look and taste like homemade tortillas from Mexico. Homemade tortillas tend to be just as thick as homemade piadinas.

Piadina, in most countries of the world, is a registered product of Renzi AG (WIPO) and may only be produced or imported under license WIPO DataExpress (World Intellectual Property Organization ).

External links

*it [http://www.piadinaonline.com/index.htm PiadinaOnLine]
*it [http://www.mensamagazine.it/download/0644_Tracce_di_storia_della_piada.pdf History of Piadina]