Italian Flatbread (Piadina)
One of our favorite variations of flatbread originated in Romagna, in northern Italy. There they throw together flour, salt, water or milk, and lard or olive oil to make a quick dough. After a short rest, the flatbread — a piadina — is cooked on a griddle or skillet. The cooked flatbreads then are stuffed with sweet or savory fillings and folded to make a sandwich.
We started by finding the right fat for our dough. Butter was wrong. Olive oil gave us a pleasant texture and flavor, but something was missing. So we gave lard a shot. And what a difference. The flatbreads were tender with just the right chew. But we wanted more suppleness and found our answer in naan, a tender flatbread from India that adds yogurt to the dough. Fat hinders gluten development, keeping bread soft. It worked well and gave the dough more complex flavor. Vegetable shortening works as a substitute for lard, though it isn’t as flavorful.
If the dough doesn’t ball up in the processor, gather it together and briefly knead it by hand. Roll out the rounds as evenly as possible. Let the dough rest if it resists rolling or snaps back. And if the char on the first piadina is too light, heat the pan several minutes longer.
½ cup water
¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 cups (274 grams) bread flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup (63 grams) lard, room temperature
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together ¼ cup of the water and the yogurt. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Process for 5 seconds. Add the lard and process until combined, about 10 seconds. With the processor running, add the yogurt mixture. Then add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time — with the processor still running — until the dough forms a smooth, moist ball, about 1 minute.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a ball, then cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare toppings.
Roll each dough ball into a 10-inch round. Poke the surfaces all over with a fork. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium until a drop of water sizzles immediately, 4 to 6 minutes. One at a time, place a dough round in the skillet and cook until the bottom is charred in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
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