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Buon giorno and welcome to A Road Retraveled!
In this episode we enjoy the beaches of Bellaria Igea Marina, and Nonna Violante will show us in her cooking class how to make the famous Piadina – the unbelievably delicious flat bread that is nationally recognized one of Romagna’s official traditional foods!.
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Bellaria Igea Marina
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Bellaria Igea Marina is a charming seaside town along the Adriatic sea in Italy’s Romagna region. Miles and miles of sandy beaches, fresh sea air, relaxing atmosphere, family-style hospitality, and delicious local cuisine brings tens of thousands of visitors each year to this little beachside paradise. Safe and peaceful, the town and its beaches are perfect for everyone from single travelers to families with kids … and of course, four legged kids who can play on the doggie beach.
Bellaria means “beautiful air”…and “Igea Marina” was named after Igea, the ancient goddess of health. Previously 2 municipalities, Belaria and Igea Marina were united as one some 70 years ago.
Today Bellaria Igea Marina one of Italy’s secret getaways if you wish to escape the usual tourist traps and enjoy a beautiful, healthy and authentic environment .
For a quieter atmosphere, come during the shoulder months like May and September… the weather is still very mild, and many less tourists!
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*** HOW TO MAKE TAGLIATELLE WITH RAGU, ROMAGNA STYLE ***
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The Piadina
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Of course, at some point in the day you will get hungry! And while in Romagna, you’ve GOT to try the Piadina!
The Piadina is a thin flat bread that originated in the Emilia-Romagna region and has been added to the list of the “Traditional regional food products of Italy” of this particular region.
Although similar flat breads can be found worldwide, nowhere will you find a tastier one than the authentic piadina of Romagna. It’s light, flaky and absolutely delicious.
You can fill it, stuff it, or roll it with all sorts of delicacies…or just eat it plain, even better when it’s piping hot which is the best time to serve it! A healthy substitute for a panini, a popular local street food, an ideal appetizer for any meal, or even a snack… you just can’t get enough of them!
Cooking Class with Nonna Violante
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Along the row of many pastel colored beach front hotels in Bellaria Igea Marina is the cozy white picket fenced family owned Hotel Eliseo.
Here, Nonna Violante (or Granny Violante in English), happily shared some of the most delicious authentic dishes, cooking secrets, and stories the way only a grandmother can, during her 3 day cooking class for a group of international bloggers as part of the #LovingRomagna event.
And today, Nonna Violante will show us how to make the famous Piadina – Romagna style… and you don’t want to miss her healthy and delicious option for a STUFFED piadina! It’s so easy you’ll want to make it every day!
So let’s get cooking with Nonna Violante!
How to make PIADINA
To make the piadina dough you’ll need the following ingredients:
500 gr or 2 cups plain “00” flour (or all purpose flour if “00” flour is not available)
75 gr or ⅓ cup lard (the Italians use “strutto” which is a more delicate rendered fat off the fatty parts of the pork that’s more flavorful) OR you can also use olive oil as amsubstitute.
½ teaspoon baking powder
And some lukewarm water as necessary (150 g or about ½ cup)
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*** Watch the video to see how Nonna Violante makes the Piadina.
Place the flour on a working surface and make a well in the center.
Add all the ingredients to the flour and mix together.
Knead until the dough ball becomes soft and elastic.
Divide the dough into small balls and roll them very thin with a rolling pin into the size of a “crepe”.
Cook the piadine on a hot griddle until done on both sides.
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CASSONI
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For a hearty AND healthy option, you can make a traditional cassoni where you stuff a piadina with cooked greens such as chicory or spinach. You can also be creative with the choice of your fillings such as ham and cheese or other vegetables!
Just spread the filling on half of a piadina, leaving out the edges. Fold the dough over into a half moon shape and seal the edges with a fork.
Watch the video to see how Nonna Violante demonstrates making the Cassoni.
Cook on both sides on a pre-heated griddle until they’re done, and serve them hot.
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You don’t have to travel to Romagna to enjoy their traditional piadina… thanks to Nonna Violante, we now know how to make our own!
However, next time you travel to Italy, you SHOULD come to Romagna….and especially to Bellaria Igea Marina…and not JUST for their famous piadina 🙂
Thank you for watching and see you next time in Bellaria Igea Marina!
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Featured music in this video is provided by musical band L’Uva Grisa. The following tracks are available on iTunes.
Bergamasco
Fremito d’amore Traccia
Trescone di Casola Valsenio
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A Very Special Thank you Hotel Eliseo for hosting the #LovingRomagna event, Nonna Violante for sharing her passion for cooking and sharing her authentic recipes, L’Uva Grisa for entertaining us, and special kudos to Maria Regina Rubinetti for putting together such a wonderful event! —————————————————————————————————————————————