Non-VegetarianEmiliana-Romagnola cuisine Baking

Crescente Bolognese

Name: Crescente Bolognese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Emiliana-Romagnola
Ingredients: 500 g strong white flour; 280 ml lukewarm water; 7 g Active dry yeast; 5 g caster sugar; 60 g strutto; 150 g pancetta; 10 g Fine sea salt; 15 g extra strutto

Crescente Bolognese is a golden, savoury Emilia-Romagna flatbread enriched with lard and studded with crisp pieces of cured pancetta.

🇮🇹Italy· Emilia-Romagna

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 410 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

500 g strong white flour — type 0 or bread flour
280 ml lukewarm water — around 35 degrees C
7 g Active dry yeast — or 15g fresh yeast
5 g caster sugar — to activate yeast
60 g strutto — pork lard, softened at room temperature
150 g pancetta — cut into 5mm dice
10 g Fine sea salt — for dough seasoning
15 g extra strutto — pork lard, for greasing and brushing

Equipment

•Baking sheet
•Large mixing bowl
•Frying pan
•Pastry brush
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 410 kcal
fat: 19 g
carbs: 48 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 12 g
calories: 410 kcal

Instructions

1
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in lukewarm water in a small bowl and let it sit until foamy.
2
Fry the diced pancetta in a dry pan over medium heat for four minutes until lightly rendered, then cool completely.
3
Combine the flour and fine sea salt in a large mixing bowl.
4
Pour in the yeast mixture and add the softened strutto (pork lard).
5
Knead the dough vigorously for ten minutes until smooth, supple, and elastic.
6
Fold the cooled pancetta and its rendered fat evenly into the dough.
7
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to rise for ninety minutes until doubled in size.
8
Grease a rectangular baking sheet generously with strutto (pork lard).
9
Press the risen dough into the baking sheet to an even thickness of about two centimetres.
10
Dimple the surface lightly with your fingertips and rest for thirty minutes.
11
Bake at 200°C for twenty-five to thirty minutes until deep golden brown.
12
Brush the top lightly with melted strutto while hot, then cool on a wire rack.

Chef's tips

Ensure the cooked pancetta cools completely before adding it to the dough to avoid killing the yeast. Generously greasing the baking pan with strutto rather than oil yields the traditional crisp, flaky bottom crust.

Ingredient substitutions

strutto (pork lard) → extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter, though the authentic texture will be softer
pancetta → prosciutto crudo ends (gambuccio) cut into small cubes

Storage

Keep wrapped in greaseproof paper at room temperature for up to two days.

Reheating

Warm in an oven preheated to 180°C for five to seven minutes to restore crispness.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding warm pancetta to the dough which damages the yeast.
•Underbaking, which leaves the interior heavy rather than crisp and light.
•Skipping the second proof, leading to a dense and tough bread.

Serving suggestions

Cut into squares and serve warm with a chilled glass of Lambrusco.Pair alongside slices of Mortadella di Bologna and soft squacquerone cheese.Serve as a rustic mid-morning bakery snack.