Piadina vs. Pizza: Differences & Uses

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Both piadina and pizza are dishes originating in Italian cuisine and have since become popular in other parts of the world. They both utilize a type of flatbread, on top of which you put various ingredients. But is that where the similarities stop between them?

Piadina is a type of flatbread used as a wrap, while pizzas are leavened flatbread with various toppings. Crucially, pizzas utilize yeast and other leavening agents, while piadina usually does not. Pizzas are traditionally made in an oven, whereas piadina is grilled on a stove.

For the purposes of this comparison, we are going to look at both piadina and pizza in more detail. We will discuss their origins, methods of preparation, look and size, variations, popularity worldwide, etc.

Piadina vs. Pizza: Differences 

Piadina vs. Pizza: Differences & Uses

Before we explain differences in detail, take a look at a cheat sheet to help yourself.

Features Piadina Pizza
Origin  Romagna, Italy Naples, Italy 
Size 8-10 inches  6, 8, 10, 12, 16 inches
Cooking Method  Grilled on a stove  Oven-baked
Leaving Agent  Usually no Always uses yeast
Serving  Folded in half  Not folded
Variations  No variations  Numerous variations; deep-dish, New York style, Neapolitan, etc.

Origins

Piadina and pizza both have their origins in Italian cuisine. To be more precise, piadina first became popular in the Romagna region of Italy, which includes the cities of Forti, Rimini, Ravenna, and Cesena. The first recorded history of a piadina recipe dates back to 1371.

Pizza is also an Italian invention. Although similar flatbreads with various toppings can be found in ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cuisine, the birthplace of modern pizza is widely regarded as the city of Naples in southern Italy.

Ingredients

The basic ingredients for any piadina include flour, water, salt, and a source of fat. Historically, people used lard. But nowadays, people mostly prefer using olive oil.

or other leavening agents.Piadina is usually unleavened, so it does not use yeast. But sometimes, people use a bit of baking soda for a softer texture. This differs from pizzas, as pizzas typically utilize yeast and

Pizza dough has a few different iterations depending on the specific style of pizza. But they all have four basic elements flour, water, yeast, and salt. Some versions of pizza utilize olive oil, similar to piadina. But that is occasional instead of being the standard.

Yeast is another distinguishing feature of pizza dough. This is what will give your pizza a boost of flavor. Some recipes also call for additional leaving agents for a puffier crust.

Appearance

You can easily tell the two types of bread apart just by looking at them. Piadina is much flatter and thinner than most pizza bread. Additionally, pizza tends to be of a darker color due to the heat in the oven. Because piadina is grilled on a stovetop, they end up with a lighter complexion.

Another easy distinction you can make is from the presentation. Piadina is always folded in half to form a semicircle. In this way, a piadina looks more like a quesadilla than a pizza. Pizza has its toppings out there for all to see. In a piadina, the other ingredients are sandwiched between the bread.

Pizza tends to rise more in the oven thanks to the use of yeast, which acts as a leavening agent. Piadina does not get that big even if you use baking soda to make it.

Preparation

Making pizza is a significantly more complicated task than making piadina. Different pizza styles will specify different ratios of water to flour, different levels of gluten development, and different types of flour.

In contrast, piadina is not all that specific or sensitive. And the addition of fat gives piadinas a richer and flakier texture.

Another distinction comes in their method of baking. Pizzas are baked in an oven. Traditionally, stone ovens are used for making pizzas. But people at home can also make them with convection and microwave ovens.

Piadina, on the other hand, is typically made on the stove. Traditionally, people used to grill them on unglazed terra cotta stones. But in modern times, a cast iron skillet or griddle gets the job done.

Variations

Pizza is perhaps one of the most varied food items in the world, with so many regions coming up with their own versions of this iconic fast food. You have Neapolitan pizza, Chicago-style pizza, New York-style pizza, etc. Depending on how big the crust is, you have flatbread pizzas, deep-dish pizzas, thin crust pizzas, stuffed-crust pizzas, and so many more.

In contrast, piadinas are a much simpler form of food. The actual flatbread is made the same way throughout different regions. The filling that goes inside the bread is thing that varies.

Size

Typically, piadinas are 8 to 10 inches in diameter. So, they are just bigger than a regular taco. Pizzas, however, have a more varied range of shapes. A personal pizza, which is meant for a single person, can be 6 or 8 inches. A pizza for 2-3 people is 12 inches long. And you can get even bigger with a family-sized pizza that can stretch up to 16 inches or more.

Uses

Piadina is used as a wrap for different types of filling. In contrast, pizza bread serves as a base for various toppings.

Popularity

In terms of popularity, pizzas are much more widespread compared to piadinas. Pretty much any culture that has a fast food industry invariably has pizza on its menu. Its popularity also explains why there are so many iterations of the basic formula.

Piadinas are much less well-known in comparison. They are famous in their country of origin. But outside of Italy, piadina is not as typical.

Is Piadina Just a Folded Pizza?

Piadina vs. Pizza: Differences & Uses

Piadina is not merely a folded pizza. They are their own dish. Recently, Papa Johns introduced a new item on their menu: a folded pizza. And the inspiration behind this item is the Italian piadina.

But piadina and pizza are not the same types of food. They are made from different ingredients and with different methods.

To conclude, piadina and pizzas have established a place in Italian cuisine. They are two different flatbread dishes but often with similarly delicious results.

FAQs

What is the difference between piadina and tortilla?

Owing to the addition of fat to the dough, the piadina is tastier and crumblier than the tortilla, which is doughier and lighter on the palate. Both tend to have a somewhat neutral taste, which makes them ideal for accompanying other ingredients or for being filled, in the same way as bread.

Is piadina a pizza?

Piadina is flat like pizza but with important differences. Pizza dough is prepared with yeast. Piadina is not although bicarbonate of soda is sometimes added. Pizza dough contains no fat.

What is the difference between piadina and panini?

Piadina v.s Panini: the piadina is lighter compared to the panini. Think of it as only the thin crust of pizza filled with just the right amount of prosciutto , mushrooms and other fresh ingredients. Whereas the the dough of the panini is thicker.

What does piadina mean in Italian?

Piadina [pjaˈdiːna] or piada [ˈpjaːda] is a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna historical region (Forlì, Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini).

Why do Mexicans use two tortillas?

But a popular explanation is that the second tortilla can be used to make another taco with any fillings that spill out the side. Other reasons include preventing a tortilla from breaking, or if you have a particularly moist filling, & others do it because corn tortillas are delicious – can’t argue with that!

What is the difference between piada and piadina?

A type of flatbread, it can be cooked on a griddle or a pan, and be rolled thinner or thicker. In Rimini, it is made thinner and wider and called “piada”. Further north, in Forli-Cesena and Ravenna it is made thicker and smaller and called “piadina”.

What is folded pizza called?

As a folded pizza, the calzone combines the best of both worlds. Its name comes from the Italian word for ‘trouser-leg’ or ‘stocking’, so called because it’s stuffed full of good things.

What makes a pizza and apizza?

Basically, apizza is a thin-crust pizza that is traditionally baked in a coal-fired brick oven. The coal gives the crust a sooty, smoky, flavor, and the high heat of the oven gives the bottom of the crust its characteristically charred quality.

What is flat pizza called?

Napoletana Pizza

It’s shaped by hand into a flat, round disk, about 3 millimeters thick. After that, it’s topped with ingredients and baked for 90 seconds in a blisteringly hot (around 900°F) wood-burning oven.

What is so special about a panini?

Because they are grilled, paninis have a pleasant texture that many people enjoy. They can also be made using a variety of stuffings, from shredded or sliced meat to veggies only for certain diets.

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