il pane - bread - a Tuscan Flat Bread recipe follows
olio - olive oil - I always use extra-light virgin olive oil.
- vino - wine - "Amen..." That's all I have to say about that!!!
These three ingredients to this day are the most basic, universal, and beloved elements of Tuscan tables.
Il Pane
Il pane, or Tuscan bread, is a staple for all Tuscan meals. It is a saltless bread. Historians believe that one reason it was made without salt was due to high salt tax. Making bread without was a way for Tuscans to avoid this tax, which makes sense to me. Others believe that the bread is saltless because Tuscan cooking has such strong flavors that it requires a bland, well-textured bread. The best Tuscan bread is made from stone-ground flour, natural leavening, and baked in a wood-burning stove or oven (Yea, right - like we all have THAT luxury....HA!)
Olio
Olio, or olive oil, goes back 3,000 years in Mediterranean countries. Much of the olive crop was used to make olive oil. Olive oil is made by removing pits from the olives and grinding them into a thick pulp. The pulp is then pressed to remove the juices, which are then placed in a centrifuge to separate the water from the oil, making it a mechanical process. The best kind of olive oil and the best tasting – is extra-virgin cold-pressed oil from the first pressing. Cold-pressed oil is produced through a process that preserves the chemical nature of the oil, the oil’s flavor, and its natural antioxidants. Extra-virgin olive oil is considered to be superior because it has the least acidity.
Il Vino
Il vino, or wine, is another staple in the Tuscan cuisine. Tuscan wines are clean, crisp, and uncomplicated. Chianti is the quintessential, best-known Tuscan wine. It is made from a mixture of grapes, mostly Sangiovese, local to Tuscany, and is thought to date back to Roman times. Brunello di Montalcino is considered by many to be the greatest Tuscan red. It is a pure Sangiovese wine, made in the warm, dry hills of the surrounding town of Montalcino. My father once brought me a bottle of Chinati from Italy and it was wonderful!
Every province in Italy has its own vini bianchi, or white wine. White wines in Tuscany are usually pressed from Trebbiano grapes and are planted in the spring and the sweet, heavy clusters or grapes grown are snipped off the vine in the fall. The white wines of Tuscany are very refreshing and compliment the region's traditional seafood antipasti. One of my favorite white wines is pino gris, which is a dry white wine. I've tried many versions of pinot gris. I especially like the California Robert Mondavi Vineyards pinot gris varietals. Hey, I can't afford the better Italian-made wines, but California is a formidable second.
"Schiacciata" - Tuscan Flat Bread
Pronounced "she-a-cha-ta." "Ci" in the Italian language is pronounced "ch."
2 1/2 tsp. (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz.) lukewarm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt - optional - you can leave it out like the Tuscans did!
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tbsp. extra-virgin light olive oil - plus oil for drizzling
1/2 cup cold water
In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water and stir gently. Stir in the sugar and let the mixture stand until creamy - about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, mound the flour and make a well at the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well. Add the optional salt and 2 tbsp. olive oil to the well. Stir in a circular motion, slowly incorporating the dry ingredients. When about half of the flour has been incorporated, add the cold water. Continue working the ingredients until the mixture forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic - about 10 to 15 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn to coat the surface of the whole ball with the oil and then cover with a damp kitchen towel. Place it is a warm spot until the dough has doubled in volume - about 1 1/2 hours.
Lightly oil a 10 1/2 x 15 inch baking pan. Punch down the risen dough and return it to the floured work surface. Knead again for a few minutes. It will be very elastic, springing back when you press on it with your finger. Roll out the dough into the prepared pan and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Set it in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Dimple the surface of the dough with your fingertips, spacing the dimples about 1 /2 inches apart. Pour the remaining 3 tbsp. olive oil over the surface. Bake until golden brown on top - about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bread from the oven and drizzle with additional olive oil - if desired. Remove the bread from the pan and cut into squares to serve. The bread can be stored, well-wrapped - for up to 2 days and reheated or served at room temperature. This recipe makes 6 - 8 serving
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