The Good Kitchen
Piadina flat bread
In Romagna, a Piadina or piada, pie, pjida, pièda, pji, pida, is a kind of flat bread prepared with corn flour, water, salt and, depending on the location, other ingredients. The classic Piada of Romagna is rolled out with a rolling pin and cooked on a "testo", the traditional pan of terracotta with low edge, crafted in Montetiffi, near Sogliano al Rubicone.
The result is a kind of disc with dark hints created by the heat of the fire and which is friable, tender, and delicate, and is usually eaten with salami, fresh cheese, herbs and a generous glass of Sangiovese di Romagna.
In the recipe, the only fixed ingredients are water, flour and salt. The rest of the ingredients, and even the thickness, can vary depending on the area and the family tradition.
The crescione is a tasty variation of the piadina. More precisely, it is a folded-up piadina that can be filled in hundreds of different ways, depending on the fantasy of the "piadinara" or "piadaiola" (who makes piadina/crescione). Travelling through this land, one can discover the different interpretations of this dish: the bartolaccio, the cantarelle, the grilled tortellini or the fried piadina.
Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli di Forlì e Cesena
Tel. +39 0543 469213 - fax +39 0543 444588
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www.stradavinisaporifc.it
Fish
The waters of the Adriatic Sea are the ideal living place for its varied marine fauna, also thanks to the abundant supply of river freshwater. Besides soles, mullets, hakes, shrimps, cuttlefish, mussels and many other species of fish, we can also find tuna, dolphins, turtles and sunfish, large animals that inhabit the warm waters of the Adriatic Sea. In the last century, the underwater flora and fauna have been enriched with species living in rocky bottoms thanks to the creation of harbors, artificial islands and of platforms for methane extraction.
Ancient treatises testify the passion of the Roman upper classes for fish, mollusks and marine shellfish, but it seems that in the following centuries the gastronomic interests for food were overall oriented on freshwater species, at least in the Mediterranean area. In modern times there is, however, a reversed trend. Fish, mollusks and marine shellfish of the Mediterranean have reappeared in menus and recipes.
A wide variety of white fish, blue fish, mollusks and shellfish offers delights to everyone, from the simple and tasty fried fish to the most elaborate and curious recipes.
Strada del pesce (Route of Fish)
Tel. +39 0547 673287 - fax +39 0547 673288
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www.stradadelpesce.it
www.cesenaticoturismo.com
Meat
The Razza romagnola (breed of Romagna) is an ox with light grey coat, tending to white, which earned the name of "PDO white veal from central Apennine". This bovine breed is currently bred in the grazing lands of the Foreste Casentinesi, Mount Falterona and Campigna National Park, where purity and authenticity of the product are ensured, in compliance with the animal welfare. This high-quality and well-balanced meat stands out for its nutritional properties, its pink color and its thin veins; the production is selected and checked at every stage and the distribution is carried out by exclusive outlets.
The Mora swine breed owns the Slow Food denomination and recently has been part of a recovery program for dying species. Currently bred animals are less than a thousand, but the Mora breed recovery is still being carried out through traditional breeding methods of wild and semi-wild state and with natural feeding, providing tasty, soft and compact meats which are used to produce high-quality sausages with unique taste.
For the Razza romagnola
Foreste Casentinesi, Mount Falterona and Campigna National Park
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it – www.parcoforestecasentinesi.it
For the Mora romagnola swine breed - Slow Food Foundation
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - www.fondazioneslowfood.it
White truffle
The white truffle grows in very specific soils and climatic conditions and a good truffle-dog, guided by a truffle expert, is required for its harvesting. This is the only way to taste its pleasantly aromatic fragrance and enjoy its delicious and particular flavor.
White truffle can be found in the surroundings of Dovadola, where an important gastronomic festival is organized every year during the month of October, offering typical dishes prepared with this precious tuber. The gastronomic specialties of Romagna, such as the polenta (thick maize porridge served with meat, cheese, etc.), tagliatelle pasta, crostini (small pieces of toast), eggs, panzerotti (pasty), are all combined with the local and high-quality white truffle. In November in Cusercoli and Civitella di Romagna, the truffle is the key element of the typical food products exhibition, besides handicrafts objects, conferences, shows and musical performances. The culminating moment of the event is undoubtedly the prizegiving of exhibitors and of the truffle seller who found the biggest and most fragrant truffle.
Pro Loco Dovadola
Tel. +39 0543.933200
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Pro Loco Chiusa d'Ercole (Civitella di Romagna)
Tel. +39 0543 989195
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www.tartufodiromagna.it
Olive oil
In Romagna, olive trees are present almost everywhere, particularly on the Apennine of Cesena, on middle and low hills and, above all, in the valleys of the Rubicone, Savio, Montone and Bidente rivers. The territory between Roncofreddo, Montiano, Longiano and Borghi ensures an important and high-quality production, besides the high grounds of Modigliana and Forlì, Forlimpopoli, Bertinoro, Cesena and Savignano.
The olive oil produced in the hills of Romagna is a valuable oil, with renowned organoleptic features and very low acidity, and has obtained the PDO “Hills of Romagna” designation.
It has a yellow color with greenish hues, a slightly fruity fragrance, medium sweet flavor with low acidity and not excessively structured since it is a middle course between the Ligurian olive oil (delicate, especially suitable for boiled meat) and the Tuscan and Apulian olive oil (stronger, used with meat and bruschette, i.e. toasted bread seasoned with garlic, olive oil and salt).
Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli di Forlì e Cesena
Tel. +39 0543 469213 - fax +39 0543 444588
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www.stradavinisaporifc.it
The homemade pasta
The cuisine of Romagna express itself in the homemade pastry at its best, rolled out on a breadboard with a rolling pin and often served with veal, wild boar and sausage sauce.
The Cappelletti are also part of the specialties of Romagna. The success of their preparation is closely linked to the ability of the azdora (the housewife ruling the house), who rolls them out and prepares them by hand, "closing" them one by one, folding them up like a headscarf, taking and crushing the tips. The recipes vary, they can be served with meat sauce or truffles, but according the tradition they must be cooked and served in broth, preferably of capon.
Another traditional coupling, not to be missed, is the perfect combination of tagliatelle with truffles of Dovadola or with pore mushrooms or even with "strigoli" (green field grass).
The passatelli (passatini, pasadẽ, pasadén, passaden) are the most typical dish, the most original and the most "romagnolo". It is a kind of pasta cooked in broth with simple and natural ingredients, a real delicacy for the palate. The dough is made with eggs, cheese, grated stale bread and nutmeg. The traditional "passatelli iron" should be used to prepare the passatelli and is difficult to find outside of Romagna.
Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli di Forlì e Cesena
Tel. +39 0543 469213 - fax +39 0543 444588
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www.stradavinisaporifc.it
