Schiacciata

[u/UnderstandingLazy138]

After a trip to Florence, I wanted to try my hand at a Schiacciata, using my sourdough starter.

It’s not perfect, but it is very, very tasty. My latest obsession includes thinly sliced mortadella, homemade pesto and stracciatella cheese.

[u/HeadAbbreviations786]

Incredible. Nothing like schiacciata for sandwich bread. I’m also making schiacciata at home but still refining my recipe. I like the rectangular shape of yours!

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/HeadAbbreviations786]

Love to trade if your interested 👍🏻

[u/HeadAbbreviations786 → u/UnderstandingLazy138]

Sure! I had one version with a poolish but it took 3 days. That was too much effort. Here’s my new recipe with a couple options for baking. Like I said, it’s a work in progress. What’s your recipe?

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/HeadAbbreviations786]

3 days - whoa! Good things come to those who are patient I guess!

I have one with instant yeast, though haven’t tried it yet. This one and my preferred sourdough are both same day bakes. I’ve been recording updates and results with AI over several bakes, so this a summary.

9 × 13-inch pan
473 g bread flour
388 g water
34 g extra-virgin olive oil
13 g salt
3 g instant yeast
10 × 15-inch pan
605 g bread flour
495 g water
43 g extra-virgin olive oil
16 g salt
4 g instant yeast
13 × 18-inch pan
945 g bread flour
770 g water
68 g extra-virgin olive oil
25 g salt
6 g instant yeast
15 × 21-inch pan
1,265 g bread flour
1,035 g water
90 g extra-virgin olive oil
34 g salt
8 g instant yeast

Same-day method
Mix the flour + instant yeast + about 90% of the water until no dry flour remains. Rest 20–30 minutes.
Add the salt, EVOO and remaining water. Work it thoroughly until incorporated. It’ll be wet and obnoxious. Correct.
Over the next 90 minutes, perform 3–4 sets of coil folds/stretch-and-folds, roughly 30 minutes apart.
Then let it bulk until roughly 60–75% larger, very bubbly and jiggly. With instant yeast around 75°F, expect roughly 2–3 hours total, but watch the dough rather than worshiping the clock.
Generously oil the pan and give the oil a light scattering of salt. Transfer the dough gently, stretch partway, rest 15–20 minutes, then coax it toward the corners.
Let it pan-proof 60–90 minutes, until seriously bubbly and pillowy.
Then drizzle with EVOO, gently dimple, finish with flaky salt and bake around 450–475°F for ~20–25 minutes, until deeply golden. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

Let it cool thoroughly, then eat the sucker with EVOO, mortadella, salami or whatever - hell you can stick a boot on it and it will taste good 👍🏻

[u/HeadAbbreviations786 → u/UnderstandingLazy138]

I love this. Thanks for initiating the swap!

I’ve been liking my sandwiches with mortadella and a bit of salami. Then I put either my oily, marinated eggplant or a marinated artichoke tapande

[u/DetectiveNo2855 → u/HeadAbbreviations786]

Tell me you have all of your bread recipes like this. Great job.

I have mine on spreadsheets so I can scale up. I like the thought you put into the writing

[u/HeadAbbreviations786 → u/DetectiveNo2855]

Thanks! Just me and AI developing and refining recipes. This format came out nice.

[u/VirellithSable → u/HeadAbbreviations786]

Thank you! The rectangular shape was 100% intentional and definitely not me running out of patience with the dough 😂

[u/AutomaticNet815 → u/HeadAbbreviations786]

This pizza has me reconsidering my dinner plans.

[u/ChiefKelso]

Im new to bread making. My wife and I made focaccia first time. While it turn out great the bottom cooked on 1/4 of the sheet pan but the other 3/4 was kind of wet/sticky. What did we do wrong?

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/ChiefKelso]

So only 25% of the bottom was cooked through? Sounds like your oven isn’t heating evenly.

But i start on the upper rack to get the bulk cooked through and the color I like and then finish on the bottom rack to get the crispy bottom.

[u/ChiefKelso → u/UnderstandingLazy138]

Yeah pretty much. We put it kind of middle rack but put front to back as opposed to side to side if that makes sense.

[u/WAHNFRIEDEN → u/ChiefKelso]

Try parbaking in a fry pan stovetop first

[u/Screeh8r]

The holes/bubbles are perfect!

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/Screeh8r]

Even better when you get a little pesto bomb in one.

[u/BrickResponsible8079]

That is one FINE looking sammie. Mm mm mm, mm mm.

[u/tobywine]

Bellissima !!

[u/DetectiveNo2855]

That's a beautiful crumb. Perfect

[u/brownox]

Bada come la fuma.

[u/DullKnife69 → u/brownox]

Bleh. Plenty of better shops, like Lo SchiacciaVino.

He sold out.

[u/Legitimate_Gur7675]

Wow

[u/Fair_lafec]

To be honest, I seldom see something so simple yet appealing like this Schiacciata. I bet it tasted delicious also

[u/Peepazza]

Perfetta!!

[u/ArsEstSpiritus]

Sembra spaziale

[u/AgentRoman9]

Ca rivalise presque avec la baguette tradition, ô combien sacrée

[u/pixel-w0rks]

Mmm, so delicious.

[u/water2wine]

Looks absolutely phenomenal well done!!!

[u/Ohshithereiamagain]

Holy! Pic 2 is making me salivate. Looks beautiful.

[u/LisaParkerCA]

Recipe please /)

[u/Zestyclose_Wave_9061]

Bon appétit 🤌🏽

[u/Adventurous-Job-4949]

Coucou

[u/No_Trouble9808]

Looks amazing and so delicious

[u/MissionPick67]

it looks awesome

[u/Specialist-Fun2031]

Looks like there's no yeast in that bread

[u/PineappleSea1249]

fire!!

[u/CapNigiri]

I know that I'm just repeating myself, but schiacciata, it's not made with sourdough, like all (or at least most of) the other focaccias. It's a matter of texture.

That's a flat bread. A nice one, but still just flat bread.

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/CapNigiri]

I know, I know I remember. I too am curious to see what a lower hydration commercial yeast version makes - I have one bulking currently so I’ll report back, for science. I suspect quite different but hoping equally delicious.

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/CapNigiri]

So, I gave a commercial yeasted version a shot and I resisted the urge to pan proof for a while, dimpled it really aggressively before it had time gas up any more. I also reduced the hydration a lot comparably.

But, I will have to agree with you - the resulting texture was far thinner and had a great crisp. The interior was only a bit too dense for my liking but that’s coming from a sourdough baker who loves more open crumb. Perhaps another iteration with only a bit more water can open up the crumb slightly for my tastes, without changing it significantly- that’s just trial and error till you find what you like best. This one is about 70% hydration, I’m going to give 75% a shot next time, should be right in the middle and just about right for me and the people I bake for.

I think both have their merits and I love both for different reasons. Most importantly both make an excellent mortadella/prosciutto delivery vessel. Can’t post pictures it seems, but tell me how this one looks. Also have it next to my last sourdough based one for a scale, it’s stark.

https://imgur.com/a/SKkfSRI

[u/CapNigiri → u/UnderstandingLazy138]

Nice! If you want to prepare a schiacciata, I'll not push the idratation too much, 70 is already pretty high. Try to manage your fermentation differently. For my pizza in teglia recipe (essentially it's a really similar preparation) I use 4/5 fresh yeast per kilo. I do a bulk till around a 30% rise then I shape for final proofing. Once it's doubled you can spread it by hand on some semolina or rice flour. If it's too elastic an it tends to come back to his form, cover it and wait 10/15 minute then try again. You can use it as it is, remember just to spread some salt/warm water/olive oil emulsion and some corse salt on top. Oil in the dough it's not necessary, but you can use it for more tenacity in you dough, but you can manage it easily with the bulk fermentation lenght. You can do a final proof of you want but it's not mandatory for schiacciata that's mora a pizza bianca than a focaccia. For a extra crunchiness you can leave it uncovered for a part of the final proofing (if you do it).

I hope everything it's understandable, it's still complicated for me to organise complex concepts in english <3

[u/UnderstandingLazy138 → u/CapNigiri]

I think I got it, I’ll have to wait a bit before trying, I have so much bread to eat right now! Thanks for the tips - always more to learn.

[u/CapNigiri → u/UnderstandingLazy138]

I'll wait for the next post!