The Ripiena team is opening Brisbane’s first tigelleria in Newstead

Ever heard of tigelle? Perhaps you’ve come across them under another name – crescentine.

Born in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, this street-food staple is ubiquitous in Bologna and Modena, where baskets of small, round flatbreads often appear at aperitivo time, alongside plates of cold cuts and cheeses.

From a distance, tigelle could almost be mistaken for English muffins. Named after the specialised stone press they are traditionally cooked in, they seem like the kind of dish that should have already crossed regional – and perhaps international – boundaries, especially judging by how enthusiastically people rave about them.

“People tell me, ‘I’ve been to Italy, there are these things that are amazing – why are there none here?’” says Nicolo Campagnari. “And I agree with them. That’s exactly what I’ve been wondering.”

Nicolo, who co-owns artisanal Fortitude Valley pasta laboratory Ripiena alongside his partner Anita, is well acquainted with tigelle. Having studied in Bologna, he’s sampled more of the delicacy than most. For years, Nico has wanted to bring this particular slice of Italian food culture to Brisbane – patiently waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Food & Drink

Ripiena

1/826 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

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“It’s a little bit like the plot of Waiting for Godot,” says Nico. “If you’re waiting for the perfect time to arrive to do something, that time will never come. Sometimes you just need to do it. For me, the market is now ready for something new.”

Food & Drink

Ripiena

1/826 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

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Later this year, Nico will open Brisbane’s first tigelleria, Zio Porco.

Snagging a snug spot at the base of Mirvac’s LIV Anura building on Skyring Terrace in Newstead (just behind Freddie’s), Nico will soon begin transforming the nook into a specialised eatery serving just two things – the aforementioned tigelle, plus piadina, an unleavened flatbread cooked on a flat-top grill.

Open from late morning into the evening, Zio Porco will cater to those seeking a light meal, pre-dinner snack or an easygoing evening hangout. Locals will be able to fill their tigelle or piadina with a range of ingredients, including cheeses and meats sourced from Damon Porter’s Saison Salumi.

“In Italy, tigelle is something that is for sharing,” explains Nico. “You get a basket filled with warm tigelle, then your cold cuts and cheeses. You cut it yourself and you put whatever you want inside.

“It’s not necessarily dinner – it’s more for people who want an aperitivo. Piadina is more like a light meal.”

The drinks list will be similarly streamlined. Because of the venue’s compact footprint, Zio Porco will offer just one beer, one red wine, one white and one sparkling. Seating will be limited to a few stools inside and several tables out front, with most of the space dedicated to kitchen and fridge storage.

“I’m a big fan of open spaces and I want people to see everything – how everything is made,” says Nico. “People will see how we make the bread, both the piadina and the tigelle.”

And what about the name?

“Zio porco is something you say if you don’t want to swear – it translates literally to ‘uncle pig’,” Nico explains with a chuckle. “Obviously pig will be the main ingredient of everything – there is lard in the piadina and in the tigelle. And there will be a lot in the cold-cut selection.”

By keeping the concept deliberately focused – just a handful of drinks and two kinds of bread – Nico hopes to recreate the simplicity of the Italian tigelleria.

“You focus on one thing,” he says. “You try to do it well, and that’s it.”

All going to plan, Nico hopes Zio Porco will open in late May or early June. Stay tuned for updates.