Scaccia Recipes

SCACCE RAGUSANE (SICILIAN STUFFED FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup warm water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure yeast is active.
• Add olive oil, semolina flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with your hand to form a relatively stiff ball of dough, adding more water if needed to bring the dough together.
• Transfer dough to a work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with the mixing bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and knead the dough for another 3 or 4 minutes; divide dough into 2 portions, and shape each into smooth balls. Use damp hands to help smooth the dough out, if needed.
• Generously dust half of a kitchen towel with semolina flour and place the 2 balls of dough on top. Sprinkle more flour on top of the balls and cover with the other half of the towel. Leave to rise until the dough has almost doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Roll each ball of dough out into a very thin circle or oval shape on a lightly floured surface.
• Combine pizza sauce and basil in a bowl. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and scatter pieces of provolone cheese every few inches, leaving a 1 inch border. Fold over the opposite edges toward the middle to form a rectangle. Press lightly to flatten slightly. Repeat sauce and cheese step.
• Fold each end toward the center to make a square shape. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and scatter pieces of cheese on just one half. Fold in half, overlapping the edge by about 1 inch. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat filling and folding the second piece of dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until very well browned, 16 to 18 minutes. Some spots may get charred, but this is fine and desirable, since scacce are traditionally cooked in very hot wood-fired ovens. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

SCHIACCIATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Measure the water in a measuring cup, stir in the yeast and let develop for 10 minutes. It should look foamy when it's ready.
• Meanwhile, add the flour and kosher salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn on to whisk together and run for a minute or so to create a well. With the mixer running, add the water and yeast in a stream. Turn the mixer up to speed 2 and knead until the dough comes away from the bowl and it looks smooth and feels elastic but still sticky, 5 to 7 minutes. Flour your hands and knead the dough for a minute on the counter.
• Grease a large glass bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the dough, flip on both sides and cover with a clean tea towel. Place the dough in a warm spot to rise until it is double in size, about 1 hour.
• Spread a half sheet tray with the remaining olive oil. Lay the dough on top and stretch and pat out until it reaches 10-by-16-inches, an oval rough shape is ideal. Use your fingertips to press in small indentations. Sprinkle evenly with the cherry tomatoes, sea salt and rosemary leaves. Let rise again for 20 minutes.
• Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Slice into wedges or squares for serving and drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.

SCACCIA

Steps:

• For the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, basil and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors are melded together, about 15 minutes. Discard the basil and let cool while you make the dough.
• For the dough: Add the flour and 1 teaspoon salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the oil and 1 cup of lukewarm water and mix until a sticky dough forms. If the dough doesn't hold together when squeezed, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until smooth and springy, 5 to 7 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Put a pizza stone or large inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• For the filling and topping: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 20-by-27-inch rectangle with a long side facing you. (Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.) Mix together the provolone and Parmesan in a bowl. Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and 3 tablespoons of the torn basil. Fold the left and right sides of the dough into the center so they meet in the middle like a book (it's ok if they overlap slightly).
• Spread 1/2 cup of sauce over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with 3/4 cup of cheese and 2 tablespoons torn basil. Fold the top and bottom of the dough into the center. Spread 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the bottom half of the dough. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and remaining torn basil. Fold the top of the dough over the bottom to so that the top hangs just slightly over the bottom.
• Carefully transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment and prick the top all over with a fork. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Slide the dough (on the parchment) onto the hot stone. Bake until the bread is deep brown and crusty, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, reheat the remaining tomato sauce. Slice the lasagna bread into wedges and serve with the tomato sauce for dipping.

FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial seperation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (25 x 35cm). Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread. Push sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the dough.
• Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.