L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano E rbazzone Reg- giano is a deli- cious savory pie typical of Reggio Emilia, which is now close to receiving Euro- pean recognition as a Pro- tected Geographical Indi- cation. The application was published in the EU's Official Journal in October 2025, opening the final stage of the process, and if no objections are raised during the three- month window, erbazzone will join the long list of Emil- ia-Romagna foods protected at the European level. For a d i s h t h a t w a s b o r n i n t h e countryside as a way to use up all that the land can offer, this certainly marks a signifi- c a n t s t e p , b u t , y e t a g a i n , aren't most of our beloved traditional recipes created the same way? If you've never tried or seen erbazzone, don't worry because our friend is immedi- ately recognizable: a thin layer of pastry above and below and a filling of chard or spinach, onion, lard, bread- crumbs, and Parmigiano Reg- giano, which gives the mix- ture its distinctive richness. The top is pricked with a fork a n d d o t t e d w i t h s m a l l pieces of lard, which cre- ates a nicely crisp surface. Slices are sold in bakeries and cafés throughout the province a n d a r e e a t e n w a r m o r a t room temperature, often as a q u i c k b r e a k f a s t o r s n a c k . Simple, but oh-so-good! The origins of erbazzone, as we said, are connected with the rural kitchens of the Reggio countryside, where seasonal greens were a reli- able source of nourishment. Its dialectal name, scarpaz- zone, tells us more about how it came to be, as it hints at how nothing was wasted, not even the white stalks of the chard, the scarpe, which were chopped and added to the fill- i n g . A l l t h e g r e e n s w e r e sautéed with onion and lard, t h e n b o u n d w i t h b r e a d - crumbs and Parmigiano Reg- giano, which was accessible in the area due to local produc- tion. The result was a filling and inexpensive dish, suitable for feeding large families dur- ing harvest periods. Over time, it moved from being a seasonal preparation to a sta- ple of local bakeries, where it is now available all year. As its popularity grew, the pie became a typical feature of Reggio Emilia's food cul- ture: panetterie e alimentari sell it by the slice, cafés offer it alongside coffee in the morn- ing, and food stalls include it at fairs and local celebrations. In the lower Reggio plain, a v a r i a n t c a l l e d s c a r p a s ò t developed, in which the filling is cooked without a pastry cover and sometimes without a bottom layer at all. Producers in the province eventually decided to seek IGP recognition to safeguard the name and define what can legitimately be sold as Erbaz- zone Reggiano: pies pro- duced entirely in the province of Reggio Emilia, with ingre- dients sourced in the same area, and mirroring the tradi- tional recipe based on leafy greens, onion, lard, bread- crumbs, and Parmigiano Reg- giano aged at least twenty- four months. The publication in the Official Journal con- firmed that the application met all requirements, mean- ing the product now awaits only the end of the opposition period for its registration to become official. For produc- ers, this will provide protec- tion against imitation and help promote the authentic erbazzone beyond regional borders. The recipe in itself is sim- ple and remains close to what families used to prepare in the past: the dough is made from flour, water, lard, and s a l t , r o l l e d i n t o t w o t h i n sheets; the filling comes from s a u t é e d c h a r d o r s p i n a c h mixed with onion and garlic, to which breadcrumbs, lard, and Parmigiano Reggiano are added. After assembly, the top is pierced and dotted with lard before baking until gold- en. Many households now use olive oil instead of lard or reduce the amount of fat, but the traditional version contin- ues to be made in homes, b a k e r i e s , a n d t r a t t o r i a s throughout the province. B e l o w , y o u ' l l f i n d t h e erbazzone recipe proposed by popular recipe platform Gial- lo Zafferano, which follows closely the old-fashioned ver- sion. Of course, we won't be able to call our pie "erbaz- zone," as it is unlikely we are going to prepare it in Emilia Romagna, but the flavor is guaranteed! Ingredients For the pastry dough 300 g all-purpose flour ~2 ¼ cups 30 g pork lard (or ~4 table- s p o o n s o l i v e o i l ) a b o u t 2 tablespoons lard or 4 table- spoons (¼ cup) olive oil 3 g fine salt about ½ tea- spoon 100 ml warm water about ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon For the filling 5 0 0 g f r e s h , c l e a n e d spinach about 1 lb + 2 oz (or you can mix with chard) 1 kg Swiss chard (cleaned) about 2 lb + 3 oz 8 0 g p o r k l a r d ( o r pancetta) about 3 oz (≈6 tablespoons) 2 s p r i n g o n i o n s ( w i t h green part) 1 garlic clove 80 g Parmigiano Reggiano (about ½ cup grated) 1 teaspoon fine salt (for the filling) Preparation Start with the dough. In a large bowl combine the flour, the lard (or the olive oil if using that), the salt, and the warm water. Mix until you get a smooth, fairly firm dough. Wrap it or cover it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a large sauté pan heat the garlic clove, chopped spring onions (with greens), and the lard (or pancetta) u n t i l f r a g r a n t . A d d t h e cleaned and chopped chard and the spinach. Sauté until the greens are wilted and most of the water they release has evaporated: this will take around 15 minutes. Season with salt, then remove from heat, let it cool slightly, and stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Preheat the oven to 200°C (about 390°F). Divide the dough into two portions. Roll out the first piece into a thin sheet and line a greased square pan (about 9 × 9 inches). Ensure the dough hangs slightly over the edges. Spread the filling evenly on this base layer. Roll out the second piece of dough into a thin sheet and place it o v e r t h e f i l l i n g . T u c k t h e edges inward and press the t o p a n d b o t t o m t o g e t h e r . Then prick the surface all over with a fork and spread small dabs of lard (or olive oil) on the top. Bake in the preheated oven at 390°F for about 30 min- utes. A few minutes before the end of baking, you may brush or spread a little olive oil (or lard) on the surface and return it to the oven for another 4 minutes until the crust is golden. Remove from oven, allow it to cool slightly, and slice into s q u a r e s o r w e d g e s . S e r v e warm or at room tempera- ture. CHIARA D'ALESSIO Slices of erbazzone Reggiano (Photo: francesco de marco/Shutterstock) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES C h a s i n g I G P s t a t u s : h o w erbazzone Reggiano defined Reggio Emilia

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