Păinea de Pecica, the story of a Romanian pie

• When tradition, special ingredients, toil and love for the finished product combine, a true work of art will result. By intertwining all these attributes, Păinea de Pecica becomes a symbol of traditional quality products.

 Produced in a very old community, with traditions stretching back hundreds of years, "Pita de Pecica" owes its unique taste to the special recipe, the specific way of preparation, but also to the wheat grown in this particularly fertile area.

History and tradition

The first documentary attestation of the locality dates back to 1335, when the settlement was known as Petk, meaning "hearth" or "furnace" in the Slavonic language. Dozens of families were dealing with the "quarry". As mentioned in Pecica City Monograph, "Everything grew in the houses of the farmers, because their wonderful bread was sold "like warm bread", because when the bread arrived on the market of Arad, it was still warm, as it is tastier, and people ate it even empty, that's how good it was. The goodness of that bread was known throughout the Hungarian country."

Special ingredients and baking in special ovens

From the wheat grown in the fertile Câmpie a Mureșului, the so-called "fire flour" is obtained, with a high gluten content, which is kneaded "until the beam is scorched". In an interview given to the newspaper today's event, Marinela Petran, head of the Agriculture Service within the Pecica City Hall, emphasizes the importance of the original recipe, admitting however that, if the instructions from the elders were to be followed completely, the production process would become difficult, especially since there are only three bakeries left in Pecica who have the right to make traditional pita.

A major difference would be that before, yeast was used instead of yeast. "It was made of old bread dough, held in a hemp cloth, wheat bran and hops. Hops had an antiseptic role. This was actually the old yeast. And when you wanted to knead the bread, it was soaked in warm water".

The ovens were built by the gypsies, out of special bricks. These furnaces always had to be rebuilt, wearing out very quickly. The furnace craftsmen lived in Cocota, the small suburb of the village located near the forest, the source of wood for burning these unique ovens.

One such traditional oven, fully functional, made after a model that is about 250 years old, is exhibited in the Digital Museum in Pecica.

With the soul and dedication of bakers

 Round and brown, with a thick crust, fluffy and dense core and a special flavor, Pita de Pecica was and is considered a symbol of the city, obtaining at the end of 2011 the trademark certification. The uniqueness of its taste is appreciated nationally, being considered the best bread on the hearth.

A beautiful description of Pita de Pecica can be found on gastroart.ro: "Sea, burnt by the heat of the fire, smelling divine and majestically enthroned on the white of the tablecloth, imbues you with the incomparable flavor. How can you not love her and worship her miracle, her creation? But what makes it so unique? First of all, the soul and dedication of the baker, then, the more than 200-year-old recipe, authentic, kept and respected with sanctity".

Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă

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