Typical dishes of Emilia Romagna

What are the typical dishes of Emilia Romagna which come to mind when talking about good food? It is difficult to express an opinion without being unfair towards one or more of the region’s provinces: from the lower plain to the Apennines, from Liguria to the Adriatic Sea there are numerous specialties, dishes and typical products which are dotted around Emilia and Romagna. “If Italy was a house, Emilia Romagna would be the kitchen”, said a recent advertisement. We know that many other Italian regions could just as easily aspire to the title but this time let us concentrate on this one, which has produced countless treasures of Italian wine and food.

Typical dishes of Emilia Romagna: DOP and IGP certified products

Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano and traditional balsamic vinegar are just three Italian specialties made in Emilia Romagna, the three most famous in Italy and abroad. To these we can add dozens of products, protected by the DOP and IGP brands of Emilia Romagna: the latest figures from February 2016 count 43 products in total. Starting from Piacenza we have Pancetta, Salame and Coppa: three delicious cured meats which play a leading role in country festivals during the year. On the border of nearby Parma, Grana Padano and Provolone cheese fight it out with Parmigiano Reggiano. The perfect combination is not just with Parma ham but also with Salame Felino and Culatello di Zibello ham. In Reggio Emilia and Modena several types of balsamic vinegar can be found: Traditional Balsamic from Reggio Emilia Dop and Balsamic of Modena Igp, which can be found side by side with Traditional Balsamic of Modena Dop. A visit to the place of production can be organized for each of these products, to see them closer up: a tour of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factories or of salami factories or balsamic vinegar producers often with a guided tour. Still on the subject of typical dishes of Emilia Romagna, not just products, we already have all the ingredients here for a gourmet starter: shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano, enhanced with a couple of drops of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, a plate of mixed cured meats and … voilà, the typical starter is served. Mushrooms, cherries, asparagus, pears, melons, meats, oils, breads and desserts: there are numerous protected products in the region.

Typical dishes of Emilia Romagna: recipes

Bolognese Ragù is a recipe famous throughout the world and one that is probably never made in the same way twice. In order to recreate the typical dishes of Emilia Romagna we need to rely on large cookery books or better still on the memory of a “rezdora”, the lady of the house typical of the courtyards of long ago. There is even a term, “sfoglina”, for the lady who rolls out homemade pasta, at home or in a shop, the sheet of fresh egg pasta to be subsequently made into tagliatelle or filled, like anolino pasta or tortellino. The recipes of the typical dishes vary city by city and period by period: starting from Bologna, where the “Book of culinary art” by Maestro Martino is conserved in the library, considered to be the oldest recipe book in the vernacular language. One example of a recipe from this book is for cheese-filled ravioli. Ranuccio II Farnese wanted chef Carlo Nascia in his court, a native of Palermo and author of another recipe book, “Four banquets for the four seasons”. Apparently the chefs of Parma invented “duchess potatoes” – soft potato whips flavoured with cheese and baked in the oven until golden – in honour of Maria Luigia. But at the base of the first course of typical dishes of Emilia Romagna, the true foundation, is fresh egg pasta. The most basic recipe for 4 people calls for 200 grams of flour and two whole eggs for pasta dishes to be served with sauce, half of the above measures for pasta dishes to be cooked in broth. Some variations call for 4 yolks rather than 2 whole eggs or for the addition of oil to help in rolling out the pasta. The pasta dough should be left to rest, covered with a damp cloth; once the pasta has been rolled out it should be folded and cut into tagliatelle or cut and filled, for tortellini, anolini, ravioli or cappelletti.

Typical dishes of Emilia Romagna: main courses

The main courses typical of Emilia Romagna come from a country tradition, alternating meat with game and preserved products: cotechino, zampone and salama da sugo (varieties of sausage or pudding) are some of the key dishes in addition to eel, “brodetto alla romagnola” (fish stew) and frog soup. Every corner of this land has given up its products, its primary materials to the talent of generations of men and women who have transformed them over time into tasty works of art.

Typical dishes of Emilia Romagna: cured meats and cheeses

These two cornerstones of Emilia Romagna cuisine deserve special attention: the typical way to enjoy them is accompanied by “gnocco fritto”, square- or diamond-shaped pieces of unleavened bread fried in oil or lard and served piping hot. Among the typical dishes of Emilia Romagna these continue to grow in popularity, even outside their area of origin. There are several versions and each one has a different home and name: in Piacenza and Parma it is “torta fritta”, or fried cake, in Reggio “gnocco”, in Bologna “crescente”. The “crescentina” on the other hand is the version made with bread dough including yeast. Being exact is difficult in a field as uncertain as regional recipes, so we will settle for this brief classification for now. Last call-out goes to tigelle and piadine: these too accompany cured meats and cheeses but are made using a different process. Flour and lard are kneaded together and then water is added to soften the dough which should be rolled out into a sheet a few millimetres high and cut into circles. It should be cooked on stone or cast iron to create the classic “burned” effect. To enjoy these at home prepacked piadina can also be purchased to heat on a pan or like a toasted sandwich.