of Emilia Romagna

Cuisine
Street Food
Piadina
Piada, pie, pjida, pièda, pji, pida: Various Romagna
dialect denominations to name this flatbread. But
after all, they refer to the same thing, a great delicacy
of simple composition. The most classic speciality
of Romagna has ancient origins, since it was
a simple-mixture plain dish of rural populations
made from wheat flour, suet, water and salt. Its
thickness, ingredients and fillings vary from town
to town according to the local traditions: It can
be eaten plain (piadina) or stuffed with vegetables,
cheese or sliced meats (crescione or cassone).
Piadina, that has become the symbol of the warm
hospitality of Romagna, has recently been awarded
the prestigious I.G.P. status (Protected Geographical
Indication).
Erbazzone
Tourists won’t miss the opportunity to taste the
popular erbazzone, a typical quiche from Reggio-
Emilia. It is stuffed with chard and spinach leaves
that are cooked with chopped onion and then seasoned
with garlic, lard, parsley and Parmigiano
Reggiano matured for 24 months. This yeast-free
flatbread is then brushed with egg yolk and sprinkled
with pancetta. It is often accompanied by a
glass of Lambrusco from Reggio-Emilia.
2. Erbazzone from Reggio
3. Gnocco fritto and
coppa from Piacenza
4. Coppia ferrarese IGP
Gnocco fritto and Tigella
Gnocco fritto, a tasty traditional speciality from
Emilia, is served by all typical restaurants that develop
amidst the hills of Reggio, Modena and Bologna.
In the province of Bologna it is better known as
Crescentina, while Parma calls it Torta fritta, Ferrara
Pinzino and Piacenza Chisolino. Anyway, the recipe
is always the same: A dough made of wheat flour,
salt, suet and yeast is fried in abundant boiling lard
and filled with savoury cured meats. The Apennine
villages that extend between Modena and Bologna
are the homeland of tigella, that is named after the
stone used to cook it. This delicious flatbread is traditionally
cut in half and then filled with sliced meats,
lard or cheese. Not to be missed is the so-called
“pesto-stuffed” tigella, that is filled with pork lard,
rosemary and garlic and sprinkled with Parmigiano
Reggiano.
The best bread in the world
Even if it is not as famous as the local Cappellacci
di zucca, Coppia ferrarese IGP boasts noble origins
that date back to the ducal period: The original “intorto”
bread was served for the first time in 1536
during a royal dinner, and immediately became very
appreciated. These are the origins of what Riccardo
Bacchelli described as “the best bread in the world”.
“Mulino sul Po” Museum in Ro still celebrates the
genuine culture of Ferrara’s bread through the reconstruction
of a real water mill. Another type of
bread worthy of mention is the so-called “Pane con
il bollo” of Ponte all’Olio (Piacenza), in which a tiny
piece of dough is placed in the middle of the loaf.
Not to be missed is the peculiar Verica bread, that
is produced in the area developing around Pavullo
nel Frignano.
1. Piadina romagnola and Squacquerone