Easy Italian Recipes

In the Tuscan town of Consuma, the local speciality is a shallow focaccia named schiacciata, meaning 'squashed', which can be filled with various ingredients: sweet grapes and sugar, porcini mushrooms, prosciutto cotto and cheese, and many more besides. About three different bakeries in the town make schiacciata every day and people travel from miles around to eat them. This is my favourite type, made with a sweet dough. 

Serves 10

500g strong white flour
a pinch of salt
125g caster sugar 50g butter, softened 15g yeast
200ml tepid water
1 egg, plus 1 egg beaten for the glaze
20m1 olive oil
250g plum or dark fruit jam
400g seedless red grapes
50ml water

Mix the flour, salt and 50g of the sugar in a large bowl, and rub in the butter. Blend the yeast into the tepid water with your fingers until no lumps remain. Add the yeasted liquid and 1 egg to the flour and mix using a plastic dough scraper or your hand. When incorporated, bring the ingredients into a ball with your hand. Use it to pick up bits from the sides, leaving the bowl clean.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it by pulling, stretching and folding for around 10 minutes. The dough should be soft, but if really sticky add a little more flour. When the dough is worked enough it should bounce back to the touch and feel elastic; if not, keep kneading.

Fold the edges of the dough underneath to make a smooth, rounded ball. The top side is the surface of the focaccia. Grease the bowl with the olive oil to prevent the dough sticking. Put the smooth top of the dough headfirst into the oiled bowl and turn to coat the top and sides with oil. Cover with clingfilm or place a tea-towel over the bowl and leave in a warm, draught-free spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about 5cm thick. Spread the jam over half of the rectangle, fold the dough over and push it down with your fingertips, starting in the centre and working outwards. Push the grapes into the top, then brush twice with the beaten egg. Scatter over 25g of the remaining sugar and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile make a sugar syrup by boiling the remaining sugar and water together for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush over the syrup.

Buon appetito!