Get ready to enjoy a taste of Italy with this high-hydration focaccia, inspired by the famous stuffed schiacciata from Antico Vinaio in Florence. This delightful bread is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and filled with Speck, creamy Gorgonzola with walnuts, and savory radicchio cream. Perfect for a hearty meal or a satisfying snack, it brings the essence of Florentine cuisine right to your table!

The image shows a Tuscan schiacciata, a type of flat, rustic bread, sliced and filled with toppings. The top of the bread is slightly curved, suggesting a crunchy crust with a porous interior. The filling includes a lush layer of red wine radicchio cream, a soft mixture with a deep, dark purple color, indicative of a slow cooking process that enhances its flavors. Above the radicchio cream is a generous amount of gorgonzola cream, which appears smooth and easily spreadable, with its characteristic creamy white hue marbled with green-blue veins. Topping off this creation are translucent slices of speck, a cured meat with colors ranging from pale pink to dark red, a sign of proper curing and smoking. The slices are enticingly arranged, folded slightly to add volume and depth to the filling. The hands holding the schiacciata appear ready to enjoy this delicious and hearty morsel

Tuscan Schiacciata stuffed with Speck and Gorgonzola

Guido Pasquariello

High-hydration schiacciata, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, filled with Speck, Gorgonzola with Walnuts, and Radicchio Cream

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Including resting 3

Course Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Plastic wrap
Oven
Baking sheet

Ingredients

For the Schiacciata Dough:

6 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons fresh yeast
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar

For stuffing (Speck, Gorgonzola with Walnuts, and Radicchio Cream):

5 1/3 ounces speck thinly sliced
2 ounces mild gorgonzola cheese
8 walnut halves
1/4 head of radicchio thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 shallot finely chopped
1/4 cup red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Prepare Polish (Pre-ferment): In a mixing bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast in 1 ⅓ cups of the lukewarm water. Mix in half of the flour (1 ⅔ cups) with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Make the Dough: To the risen polish, add the remaining 1 ⅓ cups of lukewarm water, sugar, and stir well. Gradually mix in the remaining flour. Before fully combined, add olive oil and salt. Mix until just incorporated; the dough will be very sticky. Lightly oil your hands and fold the dough over itself in the bowl about eight times.
First Rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. Perform the folding process again and let it rise for an additional 1.5 hours.
Shape and Second Rise: Spread the dough on a greased and floured baking sheet. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Let it rise in a warm place, such as an unlit oven, for about 1 hour.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 465°F (240°C). Place the baking sheet on the oven's bottom for 10 minutes, then move it to the middle rack and bake for another 20 minutes until golden and crispy.
Prepare the Filling: For the Gorgonzola cream, blend the cheese with walnuts. For the radicchio, sauté the shallot in oil until soft, add radicchio, salt, and pepper, and cook until wilted. Deglaze with red wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Blend into a cream, adding a slurry of cornstarch and water for thickness.
Assemble and Serve: Cut a warm piece of schiacciata, spread one side with Gorgonzola cream and top with speck. Spread radicchio cream on the other half. Press together and enjoy!

Notes

Serve the fillings at room or warm temperature, but never cold.
For the best results, choose a high-protein flour (about 13% protein content).
Store the schiacciata for up to 3 days at room temperature wrapped in a paper bag.
Warm slightly in the oven before serving for the best flavor.