Piadina

Piadina [pjaˈdiːna] or Piada [ˈpjaːda] is a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna region (Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini). It is 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 Romagnol), although nowadays flat pans or electric griddles are commonly used.

The Piadina has been added to the list of the traditional regional food products of Italy of the Emilia-Romagna Region.

Origin

The Piadina is typical of the Apennines area of Forlì, Cesena and Rimini, and also of the Ravenna area and the rest of the Romagna region. It is also widespread in the areas of Montefeltro, Pesaro e Urbino province, Ferrara province and the Republic of San Marino.

Etymology

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. The term "Piada" was officialized by Pascoli, who adapted the Romagnol word "piè" into its more Italian form. Romagna was heavily influenced by Byzantium during the early Middle Ages when the Eastern Empire 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.