Okay, so I couldn’t give it up. I was teaching what was supposed to be my last week in Italy and while I was there I got all hot and bothered about the idea of doing a week in Urbino in July. My girlfriend who lives in Urbino came to visit and I got to thinking it would be a whole lot of fun to do a week together. She could do the art and I could do the food. The restaurant space is taking forever to come through, so while I work on what is meant to be in NYC, why not have a little summer by the hills and sea of La Marche?

Piadina is one of La Marche’s greats. You can stuff it with sauteed greens and garlic or sausage or greens and sausage or just rip if off piece by piece and eat it with a glass of wine.

Piadine

Make a well in 1 kilo or 2 1/4 lbs. of flour. Add about a tablespoon of salt. Drip in 200g or 1/2 pound of rendered lard (lard from around the kidneys is best, but if you cook off organic bacon, you can use that as well, but adjust the salt. Or even melted butter.) Rub together, adding a bit of water as you need to hold the dough together. Knead until completely soft to the touch, or about 5 minutes. Cover the dough and let it rest. Portion into bits and roll each bit (about the size of an an apricot) into a flat pancake. Not too thin. Heat a heavy griddle. Cook on both sides–no need for extra fat and then if you have a gas burner, toast lightly directly on the burner to puff a little, on both sides.

Cook broccoli rabe in salted water for 5 minutes, drain, and saute with fresh, chopped garlic and red pepper flakes.