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Piadina with Eggplant, Scamorza and Pico de Gallo

17/11/2023

The piadina with eggplant, scamorza cheese, and pico de gallo is a dish that blends Italian cuisine with Mexican influences. Here is how to prepare it:

Ingredients

For the piadina:

  • 500 g of type 00 flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda (or 200 g of lard or 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt)
  • Lukewarm water as needed to knead

For the filling:

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 200 g of smoked scamorza cheese
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt

For the pico de gallo:

  • 3 ripe but firm tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 fresh chili pepper (optional)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • A bunch of fresh cilantro (or parsley if you prefer a more Italian version)
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation

Piadina:

  1. In a bowl, mix the flour with the baking soda and gradually add the lukewarm water, working the dough until it reaches a soft but not sticky consistency.
  2. Knead energetically for about 10 minutes.
  3. Divide the dough into medium-sized balls and let them rest for about 30 minutes covered with a damp cloth.
  4. Roll out each ball with a rolling pin to get thin discs.
  5. Heat a pan or a terracotta plate and cook the piadina for about 2 minutes on each side until they are puffed up and slightly golden.

Eggplant:

  1. Cut the eggplant into thin slices lengthwise and grill in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt until golden and soft.

Pico de gallo:

  1. Dice the tomatoes and the red onion into very small cubes.
  2. Chop the cilantro (or parsley) and the chili, removing the seeds if you do not want a too spicy flavor.
  3. Mix the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and chili in a bowl and add the lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
  4. Let the pico de gallo rest for about ten minutes before serving to blend the flavors.

Assembly:

  1. On a warm piadina, arrange the grilled eggplant slices and then the smoked scamorza cheese slices on top.
  2. Fold the piadina in half and allow the cheese to slightly melt.
  3. Serve the piadina with a generous portion of pico de gallo on the side or on top of the freshly opened piadina.

Curiosity

The pico de gallo, literally “rooster’s beak”, is said to have gotten its name from the tendency to eat it by pinching it with the fingers as a rooster would do with food. It’s a fresh and vibrant dressing that is much loved in Mexican cuisine and pairs very well with the flavors of the piadina and the smoky filling.

Piadina with Eggplant, Scamorza and Pico de Gallo