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Meat, Italy

Tigelle with cold cuts and soft cheese

Tigelle are small round Italian flatbreads cooked in a skillet, filled yourself with prosciutto, mortadella, soft cheese and arugula. This recipe serves 4, takes 50 minutes, stays easy to make and costs €3.20 per person. The key is cooking the dough over medium heat with the lid on, so it puffs up without drying out.

Tonight, Emilia's tigelle, soft little breads cooked in a skillet, filled with prosciutto, mortadella and soft cheese.

Tigelle with cold cuts and soft cheese
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
660 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Tigelle come from Emilia Romagna, where they're traditionally served at the table for everyone to fill themselves. The dough, close to a flatbread, puffs up slightly as it cooks and develops a tender crumb under a lightly golden crust. The contrast between salty prosciutto, soft mortadella and creamy cheese is what makes this dish so satisfying.

It's a great recipe for a relaxed weeknight dinner or a laid back Sunday, especially with kids who love building their own tigelle. Set the cold cuts and cheese in the center of the table and let everyone serve themselves at their own pace. It's a nice change from regular sandwiches while staying simple to make.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 450 g
  • Active dry yeastoften in the pantry 1 packet
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Warm milk 25 cl
  • Soft cheese, stracchino style 200 g

Butcher

  • Prosciutto 8 slices
  • Mortadella 8 slices

Fruits and vegetables

  • Arugula 1 handful

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, oil and warm milk, knead for 5 minutes and let the dough rise. 30 min

    Place the dough somewhere warm, away from drafts.

  2. Roll out the dough to 1 cm thick and cut out 12 rounds with a glass.

    Flour your work surface, otherwise the rounds will stick.

  3. Cook the tigelle in a dry skillet over medium heat, 4 minutes per side, covered. 16 min

    They should puff up and turn golden.

  4. Split each tigelle open, spread with soft cheese and fill with prosciutto, mortadella and arugula.

    Open them while still warm, the cheese softens a little.

  5. Serve right away in the center of the table, everyone fills their own.

    Warm the tigelle for 1 minute in the oven if they've cooled down.

Our tips to get it right

  • Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes to properly develop the gluten, that's what gives the tigelle their stretchy crumb.
  • Don't crowd the skillet, cook the tigelle in batches so they puff up evenly on all sides.
  • Use a clean glass to cut the rounds, uneven edges puff up less evenly during cooking.

The variations

  • Swap the mortadella for salami or coppa for a sharper filling.
  • For a vegetarian version, fill the tigelle with soft cheese, arugula and sun dried tomatoes.
  • For kids, keep it simple with soft cheese and ham, milder than Italian cold cuts.

What to serve it with

  • An arugula and parmesan salad
  • Grilled vegetables on the side
  • A glass of lemonade or sparkling water

Storage

Plain tigelle keep for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, then reheat for a few minutes in the oven. Filled ones are best eaten the same day. The baked dough freezes well for a month, thaw then reheat in the oven before filling.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the tigelle dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Take it out 30 minutes before rolling so it comes back to room temperature.

Can you substitute the stracchino cheese?

If you can't find stracchino, use creamy ricotta or a soft spreadable cheese instead. The texture will be slightly firmer but the result still works well.

Can you cook tigelle another way besides a skillet?

Traditional tigelle are cooked on a cast iron plate or in a dry skillet, without any fat. You can also bake them at 220°C for 10 to 12 minutes if you prefer.

Why might the tigelle not puff up?

Check that your yeast isn't expired and that the milk is warm, not hot, so it doesn't kill the yeast. Also let the dough rise somewhere warm, away from drafts, for the full 30 minutes.

How long does it take to make tigelle flatbreads with cold cuts and soft cheese?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in tigelle flatbreads with cold cuts and soft cheese?

About 660 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does tigelle flatbreads with cold cuts and soft cheese cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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