Recipe for Cuscioni

pilchard Image
01/30/2014 - 19:24

Wife, Sprat, makes her own version of a Piadina type of flatbread from the Rimini area called Cuscioni (Sp?). Although it is superb, it is not quite how I remember it from my childhood. A  very thinly rolled dough which I think is made from flour, water & lard, is laid in as large as possible sheet on a hot flat griddle, on top of which is laid some cooked whole leaves of bietola? (Swiss Chard), some grated Parmesan scattered on top, possibly with a little salt & pepper, & another thin sheet of dough laid on top. The whole thing is sealed at the edges & cooked both sides just short of scorching I remember as a 10 year old kid standing by the street vendor's stall while he made them fresh to order in the golden evening light of the arcaded town square. They were folded over while still hot, packed into large brown paper bags & handed to me & my Italian cousin. We raced them back to his parent's home where the arrival of the Cuscioni was greeted with roars of approval & the popping of even more Sangiovese & Trebbiano corks. Happy days.If anyone can come up with the genuine local recipe, I'd be very grateful. It may help more of those blissful childhood memories rise up through the fog of years.Pilchard 

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In reply to by pilchard

"wow, what's happened to it mag...a sad demisesad"It's not what it was - but things usully go quiet at the start of the year'.  I think the heady days of lots of postings are gone [both here and elsewhere], but I expect it will pick up later on. However, I'm not a fan of this new format [The "other place" is also pretty quiet (but not as quiet as here) - It does have some interesting things on, but it's a lot about ex-pats wanting to vote in the UK and Yanks saying Knox must be innocent because she is American.]

Hi Pilchard! I’m trying to track down a similar food to what you have described.

The recipe has been passed down for generations in my wife’s family and their ancestors are from Talamello, Pesaro and Urbino region. They are kind of like large ravioli with the ingredients you described and then dipped in a very shallow bed of hot oil. They call the cushones (Americanized) but I believe they would be cuscioni in Italian. Which would make sense as that means pillows.

I was just wondering if you had any luck with your search? 

Thanks,

Ryan