SPEZIATA

Spicy, Flavorful, Tasty

By Sandra Scalise Juneau

 

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

The tradition of serving Schiacciata as the bread that accompanied every Sunday meal was brought from Poggioreale by my Maternal Grandmother, Angelina Caronna Accardo. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I first encountered a round bread, called Pizza.

 

But Schiacciata remains for me as my ultimate comfort food, and my hope is that it will become the same for you!

       

                                                         

SCHIACCIATA

(PRESSED FLATBREAD)

 

Yield, 2 Pans, approximately 10-12 servings

 

1 cup Extra Virgin olive oil, divided                                                 4 Tablespoons fresh basil, sliced

1 package active dry yeast                                                                  OR, 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil

2 cups warm water +1 teaspoon sugar                                                2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, crushed

6 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided                                                   OR, 6 teaspoons dried oregano

1 Tablespoon salt                                                                                2 teaspoons black pepper

6 Tablespoons lard                                                                              ½ cup onion, coarsely chopped

OR, 6 Tablespoons white vegetable shortening                                 1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets in olive oil

1 cup fresh or canned stewed tomatoes, drained thoroughly              1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shaved

 

In a medium bowl, mix yeast into warm water. Add sugar and stir until bubbles appear.

Coat the inside of a large bowl with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

​

In another large bowl, mix together six cups flour and salt. Add the shortening, mixing with a fork, pastry cutter or your fingers to blend into a cornmeal texture. Set aside.

​

Add one Tablespoon olive oil to the yeast mixture.

​

In the large bowl of flour, make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, working it into the dough to form the dough. NOTE: If dough is too sticky to handle, add flour, one Tablespoon at a time. Knead dough for one minute, then place dough into the oiled bowl. Set aside in a warm place to rise. Punch the dough down then separate in half to form into two,15-inch loaves.

 

Pre-heat oven to 375o.

​

Brush bottoms and sides of two 16 X 13 X 1 ½ inch pans with two Tablespoons olive oil. Place dough loaves into the center of each pan and stretch with fingertips to fill bottom to sides of each pan.

With your fingertips, press indentions in rows across the surface of each loaf. Press onions into every other indentation, filling the others with pinches of anchovy fillets. Dot with pinches of stewed tomatoes. Divide the basil and oregano between the pans and press directly into the dough, spacing evenly. Into each pan, sprinkle with black pepper and drizzle on ¼ cup olive oil.

​

Cover each pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap which has been brushed with olive oil and set aside for thirty minutes.

​

Remove the covering from each pan, place into pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven to add shaved cheese. Return to bake for 5 more minutes. Serve immediately, cut into squares.

 

NOTE: Baked Schiacciata can be refrigerated and rewarmed before serving, or it can be served cold.

XXX