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.