{"id":34681,"date":"2019-09-03T18:35:22","date_gmt":"2019-09-03T16:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tortelliniandco.com\/?p=34681"},"modified":"2025-09-03T17:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T15:12:09","slug":"grape-focaccia-from-romagna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tortelliniandco.com\/en\/grape-focaccia-from-romagna\/","title":{"rendered":"Grape focaccia. A traditional peasant recipe from Romagna"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the\u00a0black grapes are ripe, it is time for grape cake, a rustic, savory, and fall preparation.<\/p>\n

Among the sweets-not-sweets typical of this period in Romagna is the black grape cake, almost a focaccia.
\nIt is an end-of-meal dessert that you can use to accompany also a Bolognese cutting board at aperitif time.<\/p>\n

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\"Romagna<\/p>\n

Italian recipes<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Many traditional Italian peasant dishes show clear connections.<\/p>\n

During the harvest season, in many parts of Italy, it was customary to make dishes with the less valuable grapes, either fallen or detached from the bunch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peasant cuisine was a virtuous form of subsistence cooking because it did not allow for waste.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most famous version of the grape cake is definitely the Tuscan schiacciata.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are now a few areas in Romagna that have preserved the memory of this rustic bread, once widely prepared.<\/span><\/p>\n

But everywhere in Italy, the ingredients are flour, yeast, water, olive oil, (black) grapes, and a little sugar or honey.<\/span><\/p>\n

This rustic cake is a semi-sweet bread. Its name in the Romagnolo dialect is <\/span>pi\u00ea con l’\u00f9va<\/span><\/em> (piadina with grapes). And, of course, it is a kind of focaccia.<\/span><\/p>\n

As well as an ode to autumn and seasonal foods, you have to wait for the right time to be able to prepare and share it on the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Romagna<\/p>\n

Grape rustic cake<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Over time, I started using one part white flour and one part whole wheat flour.<\/p>\n

Usually, I use brown sugar but also homey works well. It is better if you can find a seedless grape variety. Otherwise, see for yourself; I don’t remove them.<\/p>\n

I usually use a rectangular mold and serve the rustic pie cut into squares, but you can use a round pan and make slices.<\/p>\n

The particularity of this rustic cake, sweet but not too sweet, is its versatility.<\/p>\n

Perfect as an after-dinner dessert, for breakfast, and snacks, it can also be on the aperitif board between cold cuts and cheeses. In this case, you can decide to reduce the sugar without completely eliminating it, or you’ll lose its unique sweet-not-sweet taste.<\/p>\n

Tradition calls for black grapes to be used as the filling, not on top.
\nBut if you use the white or decide to sprinkle the top instead of putting it between two layers of dough, you should not end up burned as a heretic.<\/p>\n

Enjoy your rustic cake that almost looks like a flatbread.<\/p>\n

Monica<\/p>\n

Cook with me<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Among the typical bread recipes of Romagna, again linked to a specific season, there is the Easter loaf (HERE<\/a><\/strong> you can find my recipe).<\/p>\n

Another Romagna “bread” you can share every season is piadina flatbread, the leavened one typical of Forl\u00ec and Ravenna (HERE<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Keep in Touch<\/b><\/h5>\n