Fricandò romagnolo

With summer in full swing, the craving for light, colorful, and flavorful dishes grows stronger. Today we take you to Romagna to discover a traditional countryside recipe that celebrates the best of seasonal vegetables: the Fricandò Romagnolo, also known locally as “fricò”.

Similar to ratatouille but with a more rustic soul, Fricandò is a vibrant medley of summer vegetables—eggplants, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes—slow-cooked until they melt into a rich, fragrant dish. It’s perfect for those who love cooking with whatever they have on hand: you can easily adapt it to the vegetables in your fridge, your garden, or the season.

Our Cesarino Giacomo from Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna shares his authentic and irresistible version of this dish. Fricandò is wonderfully versatile: it can be served as a side dish, a pasta topping, a crostini spread, or as a delicious filling for a Romagna-style flatbread—especially if homemade using the traditional recipes from our Cesarine Patrizia (classic piadina) and Silvana (piadina sfogliata).

“Fricandò is perfect as a side dish, especially paired with squacquerone cheese and warm piadina”.

Where does the name “fricandò” come from?

Interestingly, it traces back to the French word fricandeau, meaning a mix of ingredients—or a “mess” (in the best culinary sense!). But the origin goes even deeper: the Latin frico, meaning “to sizzle”, recalls the first step of cooking—when the hot oil hits the pan and welcomes the vegetables. In short, Fricandò is a humble yet deeply flavorful dish rooted in tradition, resourcefulness (in the past, it often included leftover meats), and genuine taste. Ready to get cooking?