Discover Borlenghi: Modena's unique thin crispy delight

30/11/2014 - Category: Eat

Borlenghi with cunza and Parmigiano Reggiano

Borlenghi is a very thin bread, almost with the consistency of a crêpe. The dough is extremely simple, made of water, flour, 1 egg and salt. Served hot, folded in four, then filled with the cunza, a sauce made with lard, garlic and rosemary.

You can only eat borlenghi in a limited area of the Apennines mountains, between the valleys over Modena, from Vignola to Zocca.

Bolenghi, why a social food?

Borlenghi is a social food for 3 reasons:

1. It's difficult to eat. It breaks all apart so they almost force you to stay longer at the table. A good excuse for a friendly chat and one more glass of red wine.

2. It requires long cooking and is always better to be at least two in the kitchen. It's a good idea to cook borlenghi in a company and collaborate in the cooking.

3. There is no party in the region without borlenghi. In Guiglia (MO) every May takes place La Sagra del Borlengo, a food festival to celebrate this unique food.

Preparation of Borlenghi: cunza is put on borleghi with a brush

The origins of Borlenghi

Every small town in the region claims the authentic authorship of borlenghi. Many legends were born around the birth of this very original food.

It’s not clear where the name borlenghi comes from.

The legend says that it would be the result of a joke to a housewife who, with flour and water, was preparing the dough for traditional tigelle. The woman, finding the dough for the daily food string out with water, didn’t think of throwing it away, but tried to obtain something edible - and she succeeded.

Pesto modenese and parmiggiano reggiano, the ingredients of 'cunza'

How to make borlenghi

The base of the borlenghi is called colla (glue).
It’s a liquid dough that has to be baked in the rola and seasoned with cunza, before being served.

Preparation of the Colla (for about 40 borlenghi)
1 kg of flour
4/5 liters of water
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
Put flour, eggs and salt in a bowl and there mix with a whisk or an electric mixer. As you proceed with the dough, add water until you get the mixture very smooth. Make the glue to rest for a few hours in the refrigerator.

Preparation of the Cunza
150 gr of bacon or lard
2 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of rosemary
Place bacon in a container and add crushed garlic and chopped rosemary in a generous dose.
Slightly heat the mixture to melt the bacon which will be flavored with garlic and rosemary.

Cooking the borlengo
Take a spoonful of colla and pour it on the rola (a special tinned copper pan about 45cm in diameter). The cooking takes a few minutes.
Once you have the desired consistency (better if borlenghi remains soft in the center), sprinkle them with cunza and grated aged Parmigiano Reggiano.
Fold into quarters and serve.

Old man at a Sagra (local party) holding a tool to prepare the borlenghi

Where to eat borlenghi

Like most good foods, borlenghi needs efforts to be found.

There's only one place in the suburbs of Bologna but it's better to drive on the hills of Modena to be surrounded by borlenghi. Try these good restaurants:

Arte del Borlengo
S.da Statale Porrettana, 158/160, 40033 Casalecchio di Reno
Tel. +39 331 841 2957
larte-del-borlengo.business.site

La Campagnola
Via Cà de Barozzi, 41058 Vignola
Tel. +39 059 771032
www.trattorialacampagnola.com

Ristorante Cantacucco
Via Montalbano, 5500/B, 41059 Zocca
Tel. +39 059 985067
www.ristorantecantacucco.com

Have you tried borlenghi?
Are you already addicted?

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