Typical dish of the rural and mountain tradition, the Tortello alla lastra is part of the typical cuisine of the Tuscano-Romagnolo Apennines.s.
The history of this dish dates back, in particular with regard to the typical sheet cooked on the hot plate, the period of allocation of the troops of the Byzantine Empire, which faced the advance of the Lombards. The cooking on the plate is in fact always typical of nomadic populations of the East. As nomads were often the inhabitants of the Apennines, who carried out transhumance with their flocks, and needed simple dishes, to be made with easily available ingredients and minimal equipment.
The products of mountain agriculture have never been too abundant and it was necessary to organize with what little was available: wheat, potatoes, herbs, some pork and maybe some eggs. In addition, for those who used to move often, it was necessary to find a simple cooking method and cooking on stone was ideal.
The tortelli dough is made only with flour and salt, while the typical filling is composed of potatoes and vegetable sauce, but can vary from season to season (pumpkin, black cabbage and herbs). The size of the tortello is remarkable because it was a food that the farmers had to carry around during a whole day of work..
The Tortello alla piastra is a Slow Food presidium and, thanks to the various festivals scattered throughout the area, this dish of the poor cuisine has become a product also known to the general public, who appreciates it for the ability to evoke, with its flavors, traditions of the territory.
