Pastorio's Piadine (pyah-dee-neh)

Makes 8 to 10, depending on how big you want them

This Italian flat bread is usually made with flour, salt, water and=20
lard and dry-fried on a griddle or cast iron pan. In more modern=20
times, the lard has given way to shortening or olive oil, but the old=20
way was more flavorful. I sometimes substitute a tablespoon of bacon=20
fat. It is wonderful as a sandwich base for cured meats and cheeses.=20
It can also be made into a dessert item as described below.

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of lard or shortening
1/2 cup warm water
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and=20
add the lard and the water. Mix well and knead on a lightly floured=20
surface until smooth and elastic, between 5 and 10 minutes. Cover with=20
a floured towel for about 20 minutes. Knead again and divide into 8 to=20
10 equal pieces. Sprinkle with flour and roll out into a 6- to 8-inch=20
wide circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Dock (pierce) with a fork and cook=20
on a dry griddle or cast iron frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Test the pan with a few drops of cold water. It's ready when the water=20
skips and skitters across its surface. If the water just sits and=20
boils, the pan is not hot enough to use. When it's ready, drop a disk=20
of dough onto the griddle . When cooked, little charred bubbles form=20
on the dough, it's ready. They need to be checked fairly regularly as=20
the process goes quickly. When cooked, stack the piadine under a=20
towel or tuck them into a paper bag so they stay warm.

Piadine can be used as a base on which other foods are piled. In that=20
case, serve warm with cured meats and fresh cheeses. A salad piled on=20
it goes well with the chewy, dense texture. Or, brush lightly with=20
olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary and salt like a foccacia.=


Alternatively, spread filling on one half of the piadina, fold over=20
the other half and cut into two wedges, or sandwich the filling=20
between two piadine and cut into quarters called "quadrett" in the=20
Romagnoli dialect. Ancient Roman bread was also cut into wedges called=20
"quadrae". Fillings can be cheeses, meats like mortadella, grilled and=20
thinly sliced sausages or whatever else you'd like. Or brush lightly=20
with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary and salt and=20
serve warm.

Or, for dessert, you can spread a thin layer of Nutella or something=20
like it on half the uncooked piadina. Fold the other half over and=20
crimp the edges. Cook as usual. Careful eating it, the filling will be=20
hot.


There's also a YEAST BREAD VARIANT. I do it in a food processor, but=20
it can be done with a mixer with bread hooks or by hand. I sometimes=20
roll these disks thicker so I can split them horizontally to fill.=20
Sorta like pita. But be sure to cook them a bit longer because of the=20
added thickness.

1 envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (110?F)
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil to finish
In a bowl, combine yeast, water and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Let=20
proof about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of flour, the oil, and salt, and=20
stir with a heavy spoon to make a dough. Turn out onto a floured=20
surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour if needed to make a=20
soft but still slightly moist dough. Shape into a ball, dust with=20
flour and cover with a floured towel to rise until doubled, about 45=20
minutes. Punch it down, knead, and cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each=20
piece to a circle about 1/4-inch thick, 6 to 8 inches in diameter.=20
Dock the dough and cook on the griddle as above until golden with some=20
dark spots. Remove, brush lightly with the olive oil and repeat with=20
the remaining dough. Roll the bread around the toppings of choice and=20
serve warm

In a processor, I put the yeast, water and a bit of flour in the bowl=20
and let them work for 10 minutes or so. Then dump everything in and=20
run it for about 45 seconds. It forms a ball. The dough should be soft=20
and slightly sticky. I put it into sprayed bowl to rise. Cover with=20
plastic wrap. Finish as above.

Pastorio