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    Home » Recipes » Bread & Savory Bakes

    La Piadina: Italian Flatbread

    Published: Jun 21, 2020, Last updated: Jun 21, 2020 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    La Piadina is a soft and fluffy Italian flatbread that can be filled with anything you like from cured meats, cheese and grilled veggies. So delicious, easy to make and yeast free, perfect for lunch or a snack!

    A Piadina flatbread stuffed with tomatoes, mozzarella and prosciutto sitting on a marble board

    La Piadina Romagna is a soft and delicious flatbread from Emilia-Romagna traditionally made with lard (although this recipe uses olive oil) and cooked on terracotta.

    It's something we ate all the time in Italy for lunches or for taking on picnics, it's just so delicious!

    The thing is, I soon discovered that the Piadina flatbreads sold in bars or sandwich shops are completely different from those sold in supermarkets which were often dry and tasteless.

    And because I wanted to make them at home the solution was to come up with an Italian flatbread dough that was soft, delicious and that wrapped around the filling perfectly without cracking!

    This is the recipe that we've been using for years now and it works every time!

    Ingredients you need

    All you need is a few store cupboard ingredients: flour, water, olive oil, baking powder and salt. See the photo below that shows all the ingredients you need.

    An overhead shot of the ingredients you need to make Piadina flatbreads

    How to make Piadina Italian Flatbreads - step by step

    Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl, stir so everything is evenly mixed through (photo 1).

    Make a well in the flour and add the water and olive oil. Stir everything together to form a dough (photos 2-4).

    Step by step photos showing how to make Italian flatbread dough

    Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth ball (make sure not to over-knead the dough it only takes a minute or so).

    Wrap the dough in plastic wrap (cling film) and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (photo 5).

    Step by step photos showing how to roll our a piadina flatbread

    Pre-heat a large round skillet or frying pan on the stove. Divide the dough in four and roll each piece into a thin round flatbread shape (don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round) (photos 6-8)

    Heat each flatbread one at a time on the skillet, once it’s puffed up and looks golden turn it over and cook on the other side. It should take around 2 minutes each side (photos 9-11).

    Fill each flatbread with your desired fillings and fold in half (photo 12).

    Step by step photos showing how to cook and fill a Piadina flatbread

    Filling ideas

    Filling options are endless when it comes to Italian flatbreads you can get creative and choose whatever you like; here are some of my favourites that you could try.

    • Prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato
    • Mozzarella, tomato and homemade pesto
    • Grilled zucchini or eggplant, mozzarella and red pepper flakes
    • Tuna mixed with mayonnaise, tomato, mozzarella or smoked scamoza, arugula (rocket)
    • Mortadella and burrata
    • Mortadella and Insalata Russa (Russian Salad)

    Top tips and recipe FAQs

    • Using cups - If you're using cups to measure the flour make sure to spoon it into the cups instead of scooping or it'll be too tightly packed. Lightly level off any excess flour.
    • Baking powder - you can leave the baking powder out if you need to I've made these many times without it and they are still delicious it just helps lighten the dough slightly.
    • Rolling out - make sure you dust your work surface very lightly with flour and that there's not too much excess on the flatbreads before cooking.
    • To keep them soft - place the Piadina flatbreads on a plate and wrap them with a clean kitchen towel to help keep them soft. This is a great tip if you're making them in advance.
    What's the best flour to use?

    I love to use Italian 00 flour for making these and it's what's traditionally used but you can also use all-purpose flour which I've tried and tested and it works great.

    Can I prepare this in advance?

    It's best to let the Piadina dough rest for at least 30 minutes before using but you can make it a couple of days in advance and store it in the fridge.

    Can I freeze flatbread dough?

    Yes, raw flatbread dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap then aluminium foil and frozen. Thaw completely before using.

    An overhead shot of Italian flatbreads on a rustic plate

    More Italian lunch and snacks to try

    • Gnocco Fritto (Italian Fried Dough)
    • Mozzarella in Carrozza - Fried Mozzarella Sandwiches
    • Eggplant bruschetta with mozzarella
    • Bruschetta al pomodoro
    • La Cecina - Chickpea flatbread

    If you tried these Piadina Flatbreads or any other recipes on the blog please be sure to leave me a comment below to let me know how you got on, I love hearing from you. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

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    A close up of a piadina flatbread stuffed with tomatoes and mozzarella
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    5 from 3 votes

    La Piadina Italian Flatbread

    La Piadina is a soft and fluffy Italian flatbread that can be filled with anything you like from cured meats, cheese and grilled veggies. So delicious, easy to make and yeast free, perfect for lunch or a snack!
    Course bread
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 flatbreads
    Calories 187kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups 00 flour or all-purpose flour (200g)
    • ½ cup warm water (120ml)
    • ½ tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl, stir so everything is evenly mixed through.
    • Make a well in the flour and add the water and olive oil. Stir everything together to form a dough.
    • Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth ball (make sure not to over knead the dough it only takes a minute or so).
    • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap (cling film) and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
    • Pre-heat a large round skillet or frying pan on the stove. Divide the dough in four and roll each piece into a thin round flatbread shape (don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round).
    • Heat each flatbread one at a time on the skillet, once it’s puffed up and looks golden turn it over and cook on the other side. It should take around 2 minutes each side.
    • Fill each flatbread with your desired fillings and fold in half.

    Notes

    • Using cups - If you're using cups to measure the flour make sure to spoon it into the cups instead of scooping or it'll be too tightly packed. Lightly level off any excess flour.
    • Baking powder - you can leave the baking powder out if you need to I've made these many times without it and they are still delicious it just helps lighten the dough slightly.
    • Rolling out - make sure you dust your work surface very lightly with flour and that there's not too much excess on the flatbreads before cooking.
    • To keep them soft - place the Piadina flatbreads on a plate and wrap them with a clean kitchen towel to help keep them soft. This is a great tip if you're making them in advance.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janie Whittle

      June 14, 2022 at 11:05 am

      I made these today and they were excellent. Thank you for the recipe.5 stars

      Reply
    2. Patricia

      February 06, 2021 at 12:53 pm

      I don’t, at the moment, have the named flours but a supply of bread flour and sr flour. Would either of these be useable please. I want to make these this evening. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        February 06, 2021 at 2:06 pm

        Hi Patricia, haven't tested this recipe with any of those flours but bread flour should work. If you use self-raising leave out the additional baking powder. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    3. Scirver

      January 10, 2021 at 3:47 pm

      Place under a bell immediately after cooking for better conservation and to preserve the softness.

      Reply
    4. Mark

      September 01, 2020 at 11:52 am

      They are good! I brush them with a bit of olive oil before I fry them. I feel like it keeps them softer, and a little tastier

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 01, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        Great tip, so happy you enjoyed them!

        Reply
        • Angelina

          June 10, 2021 at 8:10 pm

          Perfect! Thank you so much for this recipe. Ideal for when we ran of bread whilst isolating. Brought back memories of Italy.5 stars

    5. Angela

      June 23, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      Oh these look so delicious! Mine always do seem to crack, so definitely going to try your recipe! Yum! Thanks!5 stars

      Reply

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