Italian Piadina with Ricotta, Prosciutto & Arugula Topping

According to the original recipe, in Romagna, in Northern Italy, piadine are often served with cured meats, greens and fresh cheeses that soften in the warmth of the freshly cooked bread. They are folded in half and eaten like a sandwich. This version is based on the classic presentation. Yum.

The recipe was adapted from MilkStreetTV.com, contributed by Erica Bruce. I bought lard for the first time in my life to make this flatbread! Christopher Kimball convinced me that lard was the secret to both the optimal texture and flavor in this wonderful bread. In the article, they found that when using lard “the piadine were tender with just the right chew and (had) a deeper, richer background flavor. (They) also tested vegetable shortening, which gave the same supple dough but lacked a bit of flavor. Lard was the clear winner.” The flatbread was perfect.

This special sandwich was a fabulous and fast summer dinner. We hope to try piadine with all sorts of other toppings in the near future. It was dangerously easy to make. 🙂

Yield: 4 flatbread sandwiches (4 servings)

For the Piadina:

• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1/4 cup (4 T) plain whole-milk yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
• 311 grams (2 cups) bread flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt or table salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 63 grams (5 T or 1/3 cup) lard, at room temperature

1. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together 1/4 cup of the water and the yogurt.
2. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Process 5 seconds.
3. Add the lard and process until combined, about 10 seconds.
4. With the processor running, add the yogurt mixture.
5. With the processor still running, add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a smooth ball, about 1 minute. If the dough doesn’t ball up in the processor, gather it together and briefly knead it by hand.
6. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. (I used a kitchen scale.)
7. Roll each into a ball, then cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.
8. Using a rolling pin, form each dough ball into a 10-inch round. (The round will be approximately 1/16-inch thick.) Poke the surfaces all over with a fork.
9. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium until a drop of water sizzles immediately, 4 to 6 minutes.
10. One at a time, place a dough round in the skillet and cook until the bottom is charred in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. (I cooked mine for a little less than 1 minute.)
11. Using tongs, flip and cook for about 30 to 40 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Repeat.

For the Topping:

• 3/4 to 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• finely grated lemon zest from 1/2 a lemon (about 1/2 tsp), or more, to taste
• 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 a lemon)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices prosciutto, at room temperature
• baby arugula (about 1 cup per person) (we also used baby spinach)
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, optional

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta and lemon zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice to the ricotta, or reserve to toss with the arugula (or spinach).
2. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over half of each piadina, then top with 2 slices of prosciutto.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with the lemon juice (if not in the ricotta mixture) and a pinch of salt. Mound on top of the prosciutto.
4. Drizzle with oil, if desired, and fold. (I omitted the oil.)

Falafel-Spiced Heirloom Tomatoes & Chickpeas on Flatbread

I am bringing you this wonderful dish as a guest post of sorts. I had my eye on this recipe, and my friend brought it to share at a dinner at my house. It was so pretty and tasty, we decided I had to share it! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit. My friend doubled the heirloom tomatoes and cut them slightly thicker. She also used lemon zest as well as sumac in the seasonings. Warm naan was substituted for the flatbread in the original recipe (although I included the instructions below). My mistake was suggesting that we should warm the naan in the oven. Next time, grilling or toasting the naan until crispy before assembly would allow it to hold up a little better to the slathering of delicious toppings. 🙂

The beautiful summer tomatoes really shine in this dish!

Yield: 4 as a vegetarian main course or 8 to 10 as an appetizer

For the Tomatoes & Chickpeas:

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sumac (and/or lemon zest)
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more
• 2 to 4 large heirloom tomatoes, any color, thinly sliced
• 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup parsley leaves with tender stems
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 Persian cucumber, peeled, chopped
• ¾ cup plain yogurt
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• hot sauce, such as Cholula
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Flatbread & Assembly:

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Freshly ground black pepper

To Make the Tomatoes And Chickpeas:

1. Combine garlic, sumac (& lemon zest, if using), red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl.
2. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle garlic mixture evenly over top. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. Toss chickpeas and vinegar in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mash chickpeas with a fork until about half are smashed. Add shallot, parsley, and oil and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To Make the Yogurt Sauce:

1. Combine cucumber, yogurt, mint, and parsley in a medium bowl; season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes.
   Do Ahead: Yogurt sauce can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and chill.

To Make the Flatbread: (Alternatively, substitute 4 pieces of full-size naan, grilled or toasted until crisp.)

1. Whisk baking powder, sugar, 2 cups flour, and 2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add yogurt and stir to combine (the yogurt’s acidity ensures a tender texture).
2. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Divide into 4 pieces, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 15 minutes (this will make dough easier to roll).
3. Working one at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a round about ⅛” thick. (Don’t stress: They don’t need to be perfect.)
4. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Working one at a time, cook rounds of dough until underside is golden brown and flatbread is beginning to puff, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is golden brown, about 1 minute longer; transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and rounds of dough. Let cool slightly.

To Assemble:

1. Top each flatbread with yogurt sauce, chickpea mixture, and tomatoes. Drizzle with more oil and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Cut into wedges and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Rick Bayless’ Roasted Poblano Gazpacho

Two Years Ago:

• Panzanella with Ricotta
• Roasted Cauliflower & White Bean Dip
• Baba Ganouj