Simple Schiacciata Bread
Ciabatta, Focaccia & Schiacciata got you confused?
A culinary staple, there are +300 types of bread in Italy and like winemaking, cooking methods & ingredients depend on the region. Ciabatta-slipper in Italian, is a long shoe shaped bread baked in the northwest as an alternative to a baguette. Ancient Ligurians baked their bread in a “focus”, Latin for open fireplace or hearth hence the word focaccia. Tuscans flatten their dough with their fingers making surface dimples and then drizzle with olive oil-Schiacciata-squashed in Italian. We shopped our pantry to make Schiacciata. Delicious as a snack, with salad or soup. 10-12 pieces.
Easy Ingredients:
1/2 cup Villa Graziella Organic extra virgin olive oil + extra to oil the bowl and drizzling
2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose, whole wheat flour, regular flour ok
1 cup warm water
2 garlic cloves, finely minced, or onions
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary; or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, kosher ok
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6-8 cherry tomatoes, washed, dried and cut in half-optional
Simple Directions:
In a cold medium frying pan or skillet, add olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Heat pan over low heat, cook, 5 to 10 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally, garlic should turn golden not brown, remove from heat, set aside
In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast & honey. Stir a few times and let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup garlic/herb/olive oil mixture to bowl with yeast & honey. Stir 3 to 4 times until flour is moist. Set aside and let sit 5 more minutes.
Stir remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and salt into the bowl. Combine dough and transfer to a floured board, knead 10 to 15 times until smooth.
Transfer dough to another large, lightly oiled bowl (with olive oil), cover with a warm, clean, damp dish towel, allow to rise for 1 hour. Dough will rise more easily in a warmer area of kitchen.
While dough rises, use 2 tablespoons of the garlic/herb/olive oil mixture a 9 x13 inch rimmed baking dish or sheet
Transfer dough from the bowl to the baking sheet pressing dough into the pan with fingers to create dimples or small wells.
Arrange tomatoes on top of dough, drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of garlic/herb/olive oil mixture over the dough.
Set aside, allow dough to rise 20 minutes until it puffs slightly. As dough rises, preheat oven to 450˚F.
Bake 15-25 minutes, until golden, cool on wire rack. Drizzle with oil, salt to taste.
Serve & enjoy!
Inspirational recipe here… https://www.inspiredtaste.net/
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Grazie!