Piadina with Parma Ham, Cheese and Rocket
Ingredients:
- Plain flour (300 g)
- Lard or olive oil (40 g)
- Warm water (about 150 ml)
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
- Baking powder (1/2 teaspoon, optional)
- Parma ham (3-4 slices per piadina)
- Soft cheese such as stracchino, squacquerone, mozzarella, provolone or mild scamorza
- Rocket
Method:
Piadina with Parma ham, cheese and rocket
A piadina is one of the simplest and most satisfying breads of Emilia-Romagna: thin, soft, cooked quickly in a dry pan, and then folded around a filling while still warm. This version is very classic in spirit: sweet and salty Parma ham, soft cheese, and the peppery freshness of rocket.
Make the piadina bread
Put the flour in a large bowl with the salt and, if using it, the baking powder. Add the lard or olive oil and rub it into the flour with your fingers. Lard gives a more traditional, richer and softer piadina, while olive oil makes a lighter version and is easier to keep in the cupboard.
Add the warm water little by little, mixing until the dough comes together. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Knead it for about 5-7 minutes, until smooth and elastic, then cover it with a cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This resting time makes the dough much easier to roll thinly.
Cook the piadina
Divide the dough into 4 balls and roll each one into a thin round, roughly the size of a dinner plate. Do not worry if the shape is not perfect: a homemade piadina should look handmade.
Heat a dry frying pan, cast iron pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Do not add oil. Cook each piadina for about 1-2 minutes per side, until golden spots appear and the bread starts to puff in places. If it puffs too much, press it gently with a spatula. Keep the cooked piadine wrapped in a clean tea towel so they stay warm and flexible.
Fill and serve
While the piadina is still warm, place the cheese on one half. If you are using mozzarella, provolone or scamorza, you can return the piadina briefly to the pan so the cheese softens a little.
Add the Parma ham and a generous handful of rocket. Finish with a small drizzle of olive oil and, if you like, a little black pepper. Fold the piadina in half and serve immediately, while the bread is warm and the filling is fresh.
Can you use Mexican wraps?
Yes, you can use Mexican-style flour tortillas or wraps when you need a quick lunch. They are not exactly the same: piadina is usually a little thicker, softer and richer, especially when made with lard or olive oil. A tortilla is thinner and more neutral, so the result will feel more like a wrap than a true Italian piadina.
To make wraps work better, warm them in a dry pan before filling. This makes them softer, more fragrant and less likely to tear.