Crescia Sfogliata di Urbino

Ingredients

• For the dough
• 400 g plain flour (00)
• 2 eggs, whole, room temperature
• 1 tbsp strutto (rendered lard), room temperature, incorporated into dough
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, generous
• 120 ml warm water, added gradually to bring dough together
• For laminating
• 150 g strutto (rendered lard), room temperature — must be spreadable, neither cold nor liquid
• 2 tsp black pepper, freshly and coarsely ground, divided across layers
• To serve
• salumi, boiled eggs, ciauscolo sausage, traditional accompaniment

Method

1. 1
   Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper on a work surface or in a bowl. Make a well and add the eggs and the tablespoon of strutto. Work together, adding warm water gradually, until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes. The dough is ready when it is silky and pulls cleanly from the surface without tearing.
2. 2
   Divide the dough into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll the first piece as thin as possible — no more than 2 mm. The sheet should be nearly translucent when held to light. Spread half the room-temperature strutto across the entire surface in an even, thin layer; it must be spreadable without tearing the dough. Grind a generous amount of black pepper over the fat.
3. 3
   Fold the sheet in thirds like a letter, then fold again to form a square packet. Roll the packet out once more to approximately 3–4 mm, working gently to preserve the layered structure. Repeat the lard application and pepper seasoning on this second sheet. Fold, then roll a final time to a rough round or rectangle of about 5 mm thickness. This is where the dish lives or dies: if the dough is rolled too thick between folds, the layers bond and will not separate into the crisp, shattering sheets that define crescia sfogliata — thin rolling at each stage is the condition the bread cannot surrender.
4. 4
   Repeat with the second piece of dough. Shape and set aside. Do not rest the laminated dough — lard begins to melt and layers lose definition; proceed immediately to cooking.
5. 5
   Preheat a testo, heavy cast-iron pan, or thick flat stone over medium-high heat for a minimum of 10 minutes. The surface is ready when a few drops of water dropped onto it evaporate instantly with a sharp hiss.
6. 6
   Lay the first crescia onto the dry, ungreased surface. Cook without oil. Turn with tongs every 2–3 minutes, making 3–4 turns in total. The bread is done when both sides show blistered, lightly charred patches against a golden ground, the layers at the edges have visibly separated and the interior, when pressed gently at the centre, offers a slight spring rather than a raw give.
7. 7
   Transfer to a board. Cook the second crescia in the same manner. Serve immediately alongside salumi, boiled eggs, and ciauscolo, tearing the bread so the flaked layers are visible.