One of my favourite food projects is making international versions of cassoni romagnoli, the traditional stuffed flatbreads from Romagna, Italy. The idea is simple: take a classic Romagnola dough and fill it with ingredients inspired by another country's cuisine.
This time, I'm heading to Germany with a hearty filling of potatoes, Leberkäse and Obazda, a Bavarian cheese spread traditionally made with soft cheese, butter and paprika.
The result is a rich, savoury filling wrapped in thin Romagnola flatbread. These turnovers are perfect for a casual lunch, a buffet or an aperitivo with friends.
The dough is based on my usual piadina recipe, with 20% rye flour for a slightly different flavour. You can use the same basic method with white flour, too.
What is Obazda?
Obazda is a Bavarian cheese spread traditionally made with soft, ripe cheese, butter and seasonings such as paprika and chives. It's often served with rustic bread and is a popular accompaniment to beer in Bavaria.
In this recipe, Camembert and cream cheese create a creamy, flavourful mixture that brings together the potatoes and Leberkäse.
If you have any Obazda left over, serve it separately with slices of rustic bread or save it for another aperitivo.
What is Leberkäse?
Leberkäse is a traditional German meat loaf, particularly associated with Bavaria. It is usually sliced and served warm or cold, and its savoury flavour works beautifully in this filling.
If you can't find it where you live, you can substitute German-style sausages or regular frankfurters available at your local supermarket. The flavour will be different, but the filling will still be delicious.
German-Inspired Romagnola Flatbread Turnovers
Yield: 5 servings
Prep time: About 30 minutes, plus preparation of the dough
Cooking time: A few minutes per turnover, depending on thickness and heat
Ingredients
For the cassoni
500 g piadina dough made with 20% rye flour, prepared using your favourite piadina recipe
For the filling
3 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
200 g Leberkäse, diced
250 g Camembert
100 g cream cheese
20 g butter
6–8 tablespoons light beer
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Sweet paprika, to taste
Chives, finely chopped, to taste
Method
Mash the boiled potatoes with a fork and season with salt and black pepper.
Dice the Leberkäse and lightly brown it in a frying pan. Add it to the mashed potatoes along with the chopped chives.
Allow the Camembert, cream cheese and butter to come to room temperature. Place them in a bowl and mash together until creamy, adding the beer a little at a time to help achieve a smooth consistency.
Season the cheese mixture with salt, black pepper and sweet paprika to taste.
Stir some of the Obazda-style cheese mixture into the potato and Leberkäse filling. Add enough to bring the ingredients together without making the filling too loose. Reserve any extra cheese mixture to serve separately.
Divide the piadina dough into five portions of approximately 100 g each. Roll each portion into a thin round on a lightly floured surface.
Place a generous amount of filling on one half of each round, leaving a border around the edge. Fold the other half over to create a semicircle and press the edges firmly together with the tines of a fork.
Prick the surface of each cassone with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Heat a traditional piadina griddle (testo) or a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Cook each cassone until the dough is cooked through and lightly browned on both sides. These turnovers need slightly longer than a regular piadina, so avoid using heat that's too high, which could burn the outside before the filling is hot.
Serve hot or warm, with any reserved cheese spread on the side.
Serving suggestions
These German-inspired cassoni are hearty enough for lunch and work well as part of a casual buffet. Cut them into smaller pieces if you're serving them as finger food.
Any leftover Obazda-style cheese spread can be served with rustic bread and a selection of other savoury bites.
If you enjoy exploring Romagna's traditional flatbread, try my classic piadina romagnola or discover another international variation in my collection of stuffed cassoni, like the ones Indian inspired cassoni.
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