Scaccia

Ingredients

  • Sugar (1 1/4 tsp)
  • Active dry yeast (1/4 tsp)
  • Lukewarm water (1 cup)
  • Durum wheat semolina flouor (2 cups)
  • Olive oil (2+ tbsp)
  • Kosher salt (1/2 tsp)
  • All purpose flour (2 tbsp)
  • Garlic (1 clove)
  • Canned whole peeled tomatoes with juice (2 cups)
  • Basil leaves (1/2 cup)
  • Caciocavallo or provolone cheese (8 oz)

Preparation

Dough

  • Roughly chop basil leaves.
  • Mince garlic.
  • Grate the cheese.
  • Whisk together 1⁄4 teaspoon sugar, yeast, and water in a large bowl.
  • Let rest about 10 minutes or until foamy.
  • Add the semolina flour, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and mix until the dough just comes together.
  • Transfer to a very lightly floured work surface.
  • Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Lightly rub a bowl with oil.
  • Place the dough inside.
  • Cover the dough.
  • Let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Sauce

  • Add a tablespoon olive oil to a medium saucepan.
  • Add the garlic.
  • Cook over medium heat, until it just starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes to the saucepan.
  • Use the back of a spoon to break the tomatoes up.
  • Add a teaspoon of sugar.
  • Season with salt.
  • Cook for about 10 minutes, or until some of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Turn off the heat.
  • Add the basil.
  • Use an immersion blender to puree everything until smooth.
  • Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Baking

  • Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • Transfer the dough on to a large, lightly floured work surface.
  • Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out as thin as possible.
  • Get it to a 26-by-18-inch rectangle, or even larger if you can.
  • Position the dough lengthwise in front of you.
  • Spread half of the tomato sauce over the middle third.
  • Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
  • Fold the two sides over on to the sauce so that they overlap by only a few inches in the middle.
  • Spread the remaining sauce over the left two thirds of the dough.
  • Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
  • Fold the righthand unsauced side over the middle part of the sauced side.
  • Fold the lefthand sauced side over that, like folding a letter.
  • Fold the dough crosswise.
  • Tuck the whole thing into the prepared loaf pan.
  • Brush the top with olive oil.
  • Bake in the oven for about 1 hour.
  • Immediately invert the scaccia onto a rack.
  • Remove the loaf pan and parchment paper.
  • Let the loaf cool in this position for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the loaf right-side-up.
  • Slice into thick pieces and serve warm.