Schiacciata

The slow cold fermentation process creates a glorious crust, and then as it bakes a divine scent fills the kitchen. Although this bread is typically baked in a large dish, it wasn’t until I stumbled upon a schiacciata sandwich at a renowned shop in Tuscany, via a YouTube channel, that I realized I could transform my beloved dough into a crunchy sandwich loaf. Just remember, for the perfect crispy bread, you need to bake the dough on a well-heated baking steel. This ensures a quick rise and the desired texture in no time at all.

MAKES: 3 loaves

INGREDIENTS

• 1¼ cups (275g) water, at room temperature (24° to 27°C)
• ⅔ teaspoon (2g) instant (quick-rise) yeast
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3 cups (390g) bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Semolina flour, for rolling
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for baking

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, and sugar. Add the flour, salt, and olive oil. Shaping your hand like a claw, bring the ingredients together, mixing and periodically squeezing the dough together. Continue this process for 3 to 4 minutes, until everything is fully incorporated. The dough will still be sticky, but it will come together during the folding process. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature.

2. Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Slap and fold (see page 21) the dough several times until almost smooth. Carefully lift the dough from the middle and place in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 to 40 minutes.

3. While still in the bowl, lift the dough up from the middle, stretching and folding it over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this process so each edge is incorporated back into the middle of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then complete the folding process one more time. Transfer to the fridge and let rest for at least 48 hours and up to 72 hours. It’s a long wait, but I promise it will be worth it!

4. After 2 to 3 days, lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in the middle. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Using your hands, gather and pinch the edges of each piece to form a ball. Heavily flour your work surface or a baking sheet. Place the balls on the flour, leaving lots of space between them. If on the counter, cover each ball with a large bowl. If on the baking sheet, give at least 12 cm of space between the balls and flour the tops before covering with plastic wrap. Let rest until no longer cool to the touch, 3 to 4½ hours at room temperature. You will know the dough is ready when it begins to spread into a flatter circle but is still easy to handle.

5. Preheat the oven to 230°C with a baking steel on the middle rack. Be sure to heat the steel for at least 15 to 20 minutes so it is fully heated. Perform a water drop test (see page 172) to make sure it’s hot enough. 

6. Lightly flour a work surface with semolina flour and gently place a dough ball in the center. Drizzle the top with 1½ teaspoons of olive oil, coating your fingertips as well. Using your fingertips, press the dough firmly to make indentations in the dough and shape it into a 15 × 23-cm rectangle. Lift the dough with your hands and lightly stretch it as you place it onto a pizza paddle. Place the dough onto the hot baking steel.

7. Bake until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes, carefully turning the dough once halfway through to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and brush with olive oil, if desired.

8. Let rest on a cooling rack for 30 to 40 minutes before slicing, laying a kitchen towel over the top if you prefer the crust a little softer. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.

9. Serve with your favorite sandwich toppings or eat on its own while warm. Use with this recipe for Eggplant and Artichoke Pecorino Cream Sandwiches.

NOTES:

• This recipe makes a great pizza dough. For pizza, you can follow all the steps until the shaping and then divide the dough into 2 portions. Follow the shaping method from either of the pizza recipes (page 45 and page 49). This will make two crispy and delicious pizzas.
• If your baking steel is large enough, you can bake multiple schiacciata at once.
• If you don’t have a baking steel or pizza stone, you can heat the oven with an upside-down baking sheet on the middle rack.
• This bread is best to eat on the same day it’s made as it is thin and meant to be very crispy. If needed, you can store it in an airtight storage bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
• You can add fresh herbs or garlic to the top of the schiacciata before baking.
• For a slightly fluffier bread, roll into a 15 × 18-cm rectangle. The baking times should not be affected.