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Tuscan Schiacciata all'Uva (Harvest Grape Focaccia from Chianti)

Tuscan Schiacciata All'Uva

This is the sweet, sticky harvest bread the Tuscans bake only in September, when the Canaiolo and Sangiovese vines are heavy with tiny black wine grapes. A soft, olive-oil-enriched dough is layered with fistfuls of whole grapes, sugar, and Tuscan olive oil, then baked until the juices caramelize into a wine-scented syrup. Rustic, chewy, and unmistakably Tuscan.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3.5 cups bread flour about 1 lb, plus more for dusting
  • 1 cup warm water about 105 F
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast 1 standard packet
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar for the dough
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 tbsp Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil for the dough
  • 2 lb small black wine grapes Canaiolo, Sangiovese, or Concord; unpeeled and unseeded
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar for layering
  • 3 tbsp Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil for the pan and top
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves optional, chopped; traditional in Chianti and Maremma
  • 1 tsp anise seeds optional, lightly crushed

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 9x13 inch rimmed baking pan or a similar 10 to 12 inch round pan
  • 1 clean kitchen towel for covering the dough
  • 1 Rolling Pin optional
  • 1 wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the dough sugar. Let it sit for 8 to 10 minutes, until it turns foamy on top.
  2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, the sea salt, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and about half of the bread flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth.
  3. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand for about 8 minutes, until smooth, springy, and elastic.
  4. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm spot for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
  5. While the dough rises, rinse the grapes and pull them off their stems. Leave them whole with skins and seeds intact. Pat them dry gently with a towel.
  6. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Generously oil a 9x13 inch rimmed baking pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  7. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Stretch the larger piece with your hands or a rolling pin to fit the bottom of the pan, coming halfway up the sides.
  8. Scatter about two-thirds of the grapes evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the layering sugar and half of the rosemary or anise seeds, if using.
  9. Stretch the second piece of dough into a thin sheet just large enough to cover the grapes. Lay it on top and press down firmly with your fingertips so the grapes burst slightly into the dough. This pressing is where the bread gets its name, schiacciata, meaning squashed.
  10. Scatter the remaining grapes across the top, pressing them lightly into the dough. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining layering sugar, and scatter the last of the rosemary or anise seeds.
  11. Let the assembled bread rest uncovered for about 20 minutes, until slightly puffed.
  12. Bake on the middle rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the grape juices have caramelized into a sticky purple syrup across the surface. If the top darkens too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  13. Let the schiacciata cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares or wedges, eaten out of hand.

Notes

  • Use small black wine grapes with seeds if you can find them at a farmers market in early fall — Concord grapes are the closest American substitute. Table grapes like Red Globe will work but lose the tannic, jammy backbone.
  • Do not seed the grapes. The gentle crunch of the seeds is traditional and part of the identity of the bread.
  • Serve at room temperature with a glass of young Chianti or a small pour of vin santo as a merenda (afternoon snack).
  • Best eaten the day it is baked. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; refresh in a 300 F oven for 5 minutes.
  • Do not confuse this with schiacciata alla fiorentina, the orange-scented Carnival sponge cake — they are entirely different dishes.