Pomponesco Luadel

Luadel (also spelled lüadèl) is a traditional bread that originated in the farms of the Po Plain in lower Mantova Province. It was always intended for consumption within the household, so no precise standards developed for shape and size, though luadel tend to be small. They can be round, oval, square, or rectangular, and have a characteristic flattened form. The crust of the bread, which has a golden-hazelnut color, is crispy, while the inside is very soft due to the addition of lard to the dough. When consumed hot, as is recommended, luadel release a pleasant yeasty fragrance. The flavor is light but persistent. Luadel arose from the need to test the oven before baking, which was important in an era when one could not afford to ruin a batch of bread that would be eaten for a whole week. Before the weekly bread went in the oven, a small piece was removed from the mass of dough, kneaded with a little strutto (“lard”), folded on itself several times to create layers, and flattened to speed up baking. Children enjoyed eating this small “test” bread, which, overtime, became Sunday bread. It was also an important component of special occasions such as weddings and feast days for patron saints. For Easter festivities, a cross was cut into the surface of luadel before baking. The recipe for this bread was traditionally passed down from mothers to daughters. From a very young age, girls would play with the dough and learn to judge the relative proportions of the ingredients visually. Luadel has never been produced at industrial scales, and today it is consistently available from just two places: the Trattoria Cavalier Saltini and Il Cesto bakery, both in the town of Pomponesco on the banks of the Po at the southern boundary of Mantova Province. Luadel goes well with antipasti (“starters”), but is also excellent as a main dish, served hot (this is a must) with local cured meats, especially warm spalla cotta (“cooked shoulder”), a cooked ham made from the foreleg of a pig.