Love ordering a pie but always have difficulty picking a topping that pleases everyone? Try making paninis. Here, chef Fabio Trabocchi shares his take on this traditional Italian meal called piadinas, as well as the various tasty fillings you can use.
Recipe: Flatbread with prosciutto, mozzarella and arugula (Piadina di Cartoceto) (on this page)Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the lard, water, milk, heated to 105 degrees. Add salt. Mix at low speed using the hook attachment for about 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place on a clean plate, cover with a dampened kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm corner of the kitchen for 3 hours.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a ball roughly the size of a small apple. Place the balls on the plate, re-cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Dust the counter or a pastry board with flour. Working with one ball of dough at time, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a thin disk, about 10-inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Thoroughly poke the surface of the disk with a fork.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Place a large (10 to 12 inch) flat-bottomed non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, after about 1 to 2 minutes, place the dough in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. The piadina should be lightly golden, with some lightly charred spots. Remove to a plate, cover with a piece of parchment paper or a towel and continue to cook and stack the piadina.
Spread out the piadina. Cover half of the surface of each with a few slices of prosciutto. Top the prosciutto with a layer of mozzarella. Fold the unfilled side of the piadina over the filled side to create a half moon shaped sandwich. Place on baking pans and put into the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mozzarella is warm but not melted.
Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the olive oil to coat the greens.
Remove the piadina from the oven, open each one and place a small mound of greens over the cheese. Cut each piadina in half and then each half in half again to make 4 triangles.
Serve warm.
Note: While this recipe is my personal favorite, piadina can be made with a wide array of fillings including grilled sausage, salami, red peppers and grilled vegetables.
Serves 6
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