In Emilia Romagna, the culinary tradition is a true treasure, and friggione alla romagnola is one of its most precious gems. This dish, rooted in humble cooking, arises from the art of making the most of leftovers, transforming simple ingredients into a delight for the palate. The secret lies in slowly sautéing onions and lard, creating a rich and fragrant base that pairs perfectly with fresh seasonal vegetables like zucchini and eggplant. Friggione, often served as a main course, is ideal for a family dinner or a friendly gathering, accompanied by good crusty bread to soak up every drop of flavor. With its mix of genuine ingredients and careful preparation, friggione alla romagnola is not just a dish but a celebration of Emilia's home cooking, capable of warming even the coldest evenings.

A good broth results in a more or less appreciated "by-product", but always a humble food, the "lesso" (not to be confused with the exquisite "bollito") which was used for the "friggione". Olindo Guerrini (Lorenzo Stecchetti), in his famous book "The Art of Using Leftovers from the Table", provides the following recipe for Romagna-style friggione. Sauté sliced onion and lard; when it is colored, add chopped tomato, leftover potatoes (preferably previously roasted or fried), rosemary, salt, and abundant pepper, a glass of white wine, flour to bind everything, and meat extract. Finally, add the lesso cut into pieces the size of half an egg. Season and serve. Today, some families in Bologna follow this recipe: after properly washing and cutting into cubes potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers, fry them separately in oil, salting as needed. Separately, cook sliced onion in a pan with a little salted water. Once cooked, add the previously fried vegetables, as well as the tomatoes (the latter after blanching in boiling water and peeling them) and pieces of lesso. Put everything on the heat and cook for a quarter of an hour (or more), stirring occasionally, until the tomato is cooked and everything remains well dry. At this point, add a knob of butter and give it one last stir.