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Italian · V The Canonical Dishes · Molise

Panonta — Molisano Lard and Herb Flatbread

Molise

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I

Origin

Molise — throughout the region. Panonta is documented in Molisano rural records from the 18th century as the standard working bread of the mountain interior. The name (greased bread) describes its technique directly.

II

Description

Panonta (from pane (bread) and unto (greased)) is the traditional enriched flatbread of Molise: a simple bread dough generously enriched with lard, seasoned with salt and coarsely cracked black pepper, sometimes flavoured with fennel seeds or dried rosemary, and baked in a wood-fired oven until the exterior is golden and slightly blistered and the interior is soft and fragrant with lard. It is both a table bread and a travelling bread — the lard enrichment extended its shelf life to several days, making it the bread that Molisano shepherds and farm workers carried on journeys. It is eaten plain, with prosciutto, or with the local sheep cheeses.

III

The Thread

—Lard-enriched flatbread from the central Apennine shepherd tradition — the Umbrian torta al testo and the Molisano panonta are both unleavened or simply leavened breads enriched with lard, cooked on a griddle or in an oven at high heat, eaten hot with cured meats and cheese Umbrian
—Bread enriched with or served with lard as the primary fat — the Central European and southern Italian traditions of lard-enriched bread converge on the same principle: pork fat is the most calorie-dense available fat for working people, and incorporating it into bread made the bread itself a source of sustained energy Polish
IV

Flavour Context

Panonta warm from the oven smells of lard, black pepper, and yeast — the exterior has a light, golden crust that gives under pressure; the interior is soft, slightly flaky, and rich. The black pepper is present at every bite. With a slice of local capicola and a piece of aged Pecorino, it is the Molisano shepherd's lunch, unchanged for centuries.

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