Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Tigelle (Crescentine Modenesi)
Small, round, warm flatbreads from Modena, traditionally split open and filled with 'cunza' (a spread of lardo, rosemary, and garlic) or cured meats.
- Prep
- 90 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- all-purpose flour
- milk or water
- active dry yeast
- strutto (lard) or olive oil
- salt
- cunza (lardo or pancetta blended with garlic and rosemary) for filling
- Parmigiano-Reggiano
Equipment
- Tigelliere (special iron pan) or a heavy skillet
- Round cookie cutter
Instructions
- 1
Make Dough
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Mix with flour, salt, and lard to form a smooth, soft dough.
- 2
Proof
Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1.5 hours).
- 3
Roll Out
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- 4
Cut
Use a round cutter (about 3-4 inches in diameter) to cut out circles of dough.
- 5
Second Proof
Let the cut circles rest for 20-30 minutes so they puff up slightly.
- 6
Heat Pan
Heat a 'tigelliere' (a special hinged cast-iron pan with circular molds) or a standard heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- 7
Cook
Cook the tigelle for 4-5 minutes per side. They should form a slightly crisp crust with a soft, airy interior.
- 8
Prepare Cunza
While they cook, finely blend or chop lardo (cured pork backfat) with fresh rosemary and garlic into a paste.
- 9
Slice
Remove the hot tigelle from the pan and immediately slice them in half horizontally.
- 10
Fill and Serve
Spread the cold 'cunza' inside the hot bread. The heat will melt the seasoned fat. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and eat immediately.
Cooking Tips
- The contrast between the hot, crisp bread and the cold, melting seasoned fat is the entire point of the dish.
- If you don't have a tigelliere, a heavy skillet works fine, though you won't get the traditional stamped pattern on the bread.
Variations
- Sweet Tigelle: Filled with Nutella or jam instead of savory meats.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The name 'tigelle' originally referred to the terracotta discs they were baked between; the bread itself was called 'crescentina'.
Nutrition Estimate
340 calories · 8g protein · 40g carbs · 16g fat · 1g fiber per serving
