Here’s a complete guide to rediscover one of the gems of Marche’s tradition: the Crescia di Polenta Marche-style recipe. This dish originates from the desire to make the most of polenta leftovers, transforming them into a soft and versatile flatbread, very similar to a piadina but thicker, capable of embracing rustic and genuine flavors.
Born as a ‘poor’ recipe of rural cooking, today the crescia is admired for its simplicity and authentic taste: a tribute to the roots and flavors of the land, perfect both to be enjoyed on its own or stuffed with herbs, cold cuts, and cheeses, or even in a sweet version with hazelnut cream.
The Crescia di Polenta from Marche encapsulates the charm of rural cooking: a recovery art that has been able to transform leftovers into delicacies, keeping alive techniques and flavors handed down from generation to generation.
It’s precisely this simplicity, along with the ability to adapt to both savory and sweet preparations, that makes it a constantly relevant and beloved dish at festivals and village fairs. Today, with a few personal touches, you can bring a piece of Marche’s history and tradition to the table.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove, Grill
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the Crescia di Polenta Marche-style Recipe
- 14 oz cooked polenta (leftover)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (approximate weight)
- 1/3 cup lard (or 4 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
Preparation of Crescia di Polenta Marche-style Recipe
Prepare the polenta: If you don’t have leftovers, prepare the polenta following the usual method; let it cool down enough to handle easily.
Create the dough: On a lightly floured surface, mix about 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour with the polenta, lard, and salt.
Knead well to combine the ingredients.
Polenta, being naturally moist, might make the dough slightly sticky, so gradually add more flour until you get a dry and homogeneous mixture, similar to that of a piadina.
Form the crescie: Divide the dough into 4–6 parts, depending on the desired size.
With the help of a rolling pin, roll out each piece into a round, thin disk, but not too fragile, to maintain good consistency during cooking.
Cooking: Heat a non-stick pan or a lightly greased cast iron grill.
Cook each crescia for about 5 minutes per side, until nice golden stripes form and the surface becomes crispy on the outside, while remaining soft inside.
A traditional tip is to cook them on the grill to further enhance the rustic flavor. If you have the opportunity, take advantage of it.
Serve: Serve the crescie hot, to be enjoyed plain or stuffed.
Among the classic fillings Savory filling: sautéed greens, cold cuts, pecorino or other cheeses.
We stuffed ours with prosciutto, arugula, and pecorino shavings.
Storage, Variations, and Tips
The crescia di polenta can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 days.
You can also make the sweet version by adding a pinch of sugar instead of salt, rolling them out very thinly and frying them, then sprinkling with sugar.
You can substitute the lard with extra virgin olive oil.
If you don’t have leftover polenta, you can prepare it with 100 g of polenta flour and 400 ml of water, cooking it well and then cooling it thoroughly.
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