Non-VegetarianEmiliana-Romagnola cuisine Street Food

Borlenghi

Name: Borlenghi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Emiliana-Romagnola
Ingredients: 150 g plain flour (tipo 00); 400 ml Water; 1 whole Egg; 3 g Fine sea salt; 100 g lardo; 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary; 1 clove Garlic; 60 g parmigiano reggiano pdo

Paper-thin, crisp-edged Modenese mountain crêpes brushed with cunza (a hot lardo, garlic, and rosemary spread) and dusted with Parmigiano Reggiano.

🇮🇹Italy· Emilia-Romagna

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 420 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

150 g plain flour (tipo 00) — sifted
400 ml Water — cold water
1 whole Egg — medium, free-range
3 g Fine sea salt — a generous pinch
100 g lardo — cured pork fatback, finely minced into a paste
2 sprigs Fresh rosemary — leaves stripped and minced extremely fine
1 clove Garlic — peeled and finely grated
60 g parmigiano reggiano pdo — finely grated

Equipment

•Large non-stick crêpe pan or skillet (at least 28 cm)
•Whisk
•Mixing bowl
•Small heavy saucepan
•Pastry brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 420 kcal
fat: 26 g
carbs: 32 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 14 g
calories: 420 kcal

Instructions

1
Whisk the flour, salt, egg, and cold water in a bowl until you have a very thin, runny batter.
2
Let the batter rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
3
Combine the minced lardo, finely chopped rosemary, and grated garlic in a small saucepan over low heat.
4
Warm gently until the lardo melts into a liquid seasoned fat, then keep warm.
5
Heat a large, lightly greased crêpe pan over medium-high heat until very hot.
6
Pour a small ladle of batter into the pan, swirling immediately so it spreads translucent and paper-thin.
7
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is dry, lacy, and pale golden with crisp edges.
8
Flip carefully and cook the second side for 1 minute until crisp and speckled.
9
Brush the top surface generously with the warm melted lardo mixture while still in the pan.
10
Scatter a heaped tablespoon of grated Parmigiano Reggiano evenly across the warm brushed surface.
11
Fold the disc in half, then in half again to form a neat triangle, and serve piping hot.
12
Repeat with the remaining batter and cunza spread.

Chef's tips

The batter (colla) must be remarkably watery, much thinner than standard French crêpe batter, to produce a delicate, lacy texture. Ensure your pan is very hot before pouring, and spread the batter instantly by swirling.

Ingredient substitutions

lardo → unsmoked pancetta or guanciale, minced to a fine paste before melting
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO → Grana Padano PDO

Storage

Borlenghi must be eaten straight away and do not store well once cooked.

Reheating

Reheat folded borlenghi briefly in a dry hot frying pan for 1 minute until crisp again.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Making the batter too thick, which turns the borlengo into a soft pancake rather than a paper-thin crisp wafer.
•Cooking over too low a heat, preventing the batter from sizzling and forming its characteristic lacy holes.
•Letting the cunza cool, which makes it congeal instead of soaking hot into the warm crêpe.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately straight from the pan while piping hot and crisp.Pair with a glass of sparkling Lambrusco di Sorbara or Pignoletto.Eat folded in a napkin with your hands in true mountain sagra style.