From farm to Nonna’s table: The Pasta Grannies’ guide to Emilia-Romagna

Parma 

So let’s start in Parma, Yes, admire the rose-coloured Battistero di Parma, but food lovers should head to cathedrals of a different kind: the aging rooms of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Visit a caseificio early in the morning to watch the hard physical labour of creating curds and heaping it into cheese forms. There are loads to visit but one of our favourite producers is Caseificio Ciaolatte. It’s a family run, organic farm making cheese from their own cows’ milk.   

While you’re exploring the Parma area, make time for the Castle of Torrechiara, a 15th-century romantic fortress whose glorious frescoes tell tales of love and chivalry. Combine this with lunch at Ai Due Platani, where classic dishes showcase the region’s finest ingredients in a comfortable, bustling ‘we don’t bother with trends’ setting. The pasta, special to Parma, incidentally, is anolini – keep an eye out for it on the menus.   

The whey from the Parmigiano production is part of the diet for pigs destined to become prosciutto di Parma. If you potter around the foothills south of Parma you’ll notice large buildings with tall, shuttered windows; these are the prosciutto aging rooms and there’s an art to encouraging the cold dry breezes to move through the buildings. For me, the best place to discover the delights of this ham is Rosa dell’Angelo. This is closer to Modena, and their prosciutto bar is a fun way to sample their range. Or take some away for a picnic and try it with a glass of locally produced Lambrusco. Don’t dismiss this sparkling red until you’ve tried it with a selection of antipasti! I love this fun wine, and a good place to discover its range and expression is Cantina Paltrinieri.

Modena 

In Modena, start your day at the Mercato Albinelli, one of the prettiest covered markets in Italy. The morning light streaming through the glass ceiling illuminates displays of seasonal produce, local cheeses, and cured meats that look almost too perfect to touch. Make sure to stop at Bar Schiavoni for a coffee and pastry – it’s a local institution for good reason.  

While in Modena, the petrolhead in your family will want to enjoy the Ferrari museum, giving you the opportunity to submerge yourself in the joys of liquid black gold – Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. This is nothing like the sweet condiment one splashes over mozzarella. This vinegar, a producer once said to me, ‘is for contemplation; sip it and dream of star-spangled skies’.  Its history and production is complex in a good way, and too long to explain here, so head to the Museo del Balsamico Tradizionale in Spilamberto for an overview of this precious condiment, aged for at least 12 years (and up to 25!) in progressively smaller wooden barrels. If you fancy a tour, visit Acetaia La Vecchia Dispensa, remembering you have to be quite intrepid to climb the medieval tower’s ancient steps. You might want to just hang out in their shop, buying all their delicious goodies.  

Bologna  

I’m not doing a deep dive into Bologna’s food scene today, so if you only have time for one city in the region, it’s this one. There is so much that’s good and delicious; if I’m heading to the airport, and there’s only time for one place to visit, it’s Mercato delle Erbe, which houses my favourite cheese shop Formaggeria Barbieri.  Behind the market you’ll find Le Sfogline, where sisters Monica and Daniela make fantastic tortellini and tortelli – and more – which they’ll vacuum pack for you to take away. Their shop is tiny and there’s always a steady flow of customers ordering their precious pasta. Have a coffee (standing) at Caffe Terzi in via G Oberdan, and your (salted pistachio, my fave) gelato from Cremeria Santo Stefano.   

Montese, Brisighella, Faenza and Cervia 

Now, let’s talk about some hidden gems. Don’t hug the motorway; head to the mountains, there’s a treasure trove of history and beautiful food to be discovered. For example, near Montese, farmers cultivate potatoes that are so prized they have their own festival. These aren’t your ordinary spuds – growing in the mineral-rich mountain soil gives them a distinctive flavour that local chefs showcase in everything from gnocchi to velvety purées. Proud townsfolk tell me Massimo Bottura uses them in his restaurants.  

Further east there’s Brisighella, a medieval village which gives its name to the local olive variety producing some of northern Italy’s finest oils. It has a distinctive sweetness with a peppery finish that’s perfect sloshed over most dishes, but especially bean stews.  

For those interested in the intersection of food and craft, Faenza’s International Ceramic Museum isn’t just about plates – it tells the story of how art and eating have been intertwined for centuries in this region. The museum’s collection of Renaissance majolica shows how the wealthy families of Emilia-Romagna displayed their sophistication through what they ate and what they ate it on.  

Faenza is one of several cities in Romagna that nobody outside Italy has heard of, which makes them tourist-free and rather lovely to visit. For example, Ferrara is a UNESCO world heritage site with its own culinary specialities, including the coppia ferrarese – a twisted bread roll whose recipe has remained unchanged since 1536. Nearby is Ravenna, with its stunning Byzantine mosaics. The pasta to try in this part of Romagna is pumpkin filled cappellacci – the sweet savoury filling reflects the renaissance origins.  

Throughout the year, the region comes alive with food festivals celebrating, well, everything edible. The Fiera del Formaggio di Fossa in Sogliano al Rubicone celebrates cheese aged in underground pits, while the Festival del Prosciutto in Parma draws visitors from around the world. And let’s not forget the popular pasta rolling competitions! They’re a great evening out in summer.   

Lastly one cannot visit the region without trying some of the flatbreads, which include crescentine (also called tigelle) and piadine. If you follow the ancient Via Emilia along the Apennines you’ll discover how the humble piadina changes from town to town. Inland, they’re thicker and softer that those you find towards the coast which become more biscuit like in texture. The best are made with lard in the dough.  

The Po meanders into its delta and just to the south is Cervia, known since Roman times for its salt pans. The salt made here is sweet, thanks to the absence of bitter chlorides. The factory, Salina di Cervia, has a kiosk outside selling excellent crisp piadine. Our favourite one however, belongs to one of our Pasta Grannies, 90-year-old Betta. Her son Raffaele continues with her kiosk, now called ‘la piadina di Raffaele E Antonella’ in Cervia. Settling down on a balmy evening with a piadina and a beer is one of the joys of summer.  

See you there.   

Find out more about Pasta Grannies on their website or follow them on Instagram.

Featured places to stay in Emilia-Romagna

Browse all our places to stay in Italy >

You might also like