Fresh From The Oven 7 - July 2011 - Posh Toasties.

What a brilliant challenge this month - really tasty Italian flatbread sandwiches - Piadina - with any filling of our choice.  Thanks to Alex of Dear Love Blog for this challenge.  She had spent time researching and trying to recreate a recipe that she had loved when she tried it in Milan when she was 15.  Well I'm so glad she did as this lovely little toastie is going to be a regular lunch around here.  The fillings ideas are endless so we can vary it and never get bored.  

This time, I made two fillings.  The first was spinach and nutmeg with Taleggio cheese and the second was roasted peppers with mozzarella.  I loved them both.  My next one is going to be one of Alex's ideas - gorgonzola, pear, rocket and walnuts.   Oh yum.  But really you can't go wrong with any cheesy filling so I'll just play about with whatever I fancy or whatever is in the fridge.

This recipe is made with olive oil instead of lard and it tasted perfect to me but you can just replace the oil with lard if you fancy.

My 3 year old took the above photo.  He is obviously going to be a food blogger!

Recipe - Piadina.

(Makes 8 flatbreads which will serve 4 people easily and probably 6 for lunch with a salad.)

Ingredients - 

500g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt

100ml olive oil (or 100g lard)

200ml warm water.

Method - 

1. Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and olive oil in a large bowl.  Gradually add the water, stirring with loose fingers until the mix comes together to form a soft dough.  Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough becomes smooth and shiny, about 5-10 mins. (Okay, okay, I used my Kenwood Chef to do all of this for me!).  Divide into 8 equal balls, loosely cover with lightly oiled cling film and allow to rest for 30 mins.

2. Heat a non-stick cast iron skillet over a high heat for 5 mins.  (I just used my BBQ because it was a nice evening.)  On a well floured surface, flatten each ball and roll out into a disc 2-3 mm thick. Prick all over with a fork.  Place a disc of dough flat in the centre of the pan and press down gently.  Cook for 2 mins or until the dough is crisp and brown and brown spots begin to appear, then flip and repeat on the other side.  Cook the piadina one at a time until all the dough is used.  Cover with a clean tea towel to prevent them drying out while you prepare your filling.

3. Place one piadina on the bottom, cover evenly with filling and top with another.  If you like your fillings cold, cut into wedges and serve.  Altenatively heat through in the ven or sandwich press and serve hot. (I cokked four pieces of dough on the BBQ then with the others, I cooked one side, flipped over, added my filling and one of the cooked piadinas thereby letting the filling warm through while the bottom of the piadina was cooking).