Sciacchiata con l’Uva | Harvest Grape Focaccia

Vendemmia, the time of harvesting the grapes, is celebrated in Tuscany as a sacred ceremony every year, with celebrations and symbolic meals prepared solely during the grape harvest. Schiacciata con l’uva, grape focaccia, whose annual appearance in kitchens and bakeries across the region, heralds the start of a month-long harvest season. The Tuscan word “schiacciata” means “pressed” or “flattened,” and it refers to a flatbread known as focaccia. This sweet version, prepared with dough, sugar, and juicy grapes, is a special treat I enjoy at our family wineries each fall during harvest! Drinking a glass of red Tuscan wine with this sweet focaccia is a must! I suggest the king of all Italian reds, Brunello di Montalcino, from the Madonna Nera winery in Montalcino, Tuscany.

Receipt Date: June 8, 2022

Difficulty: Easy

Measurements: Imperial (US)

See ingredients, directions and pairings.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups Bread Flour

1 1/2 cups Luke Warm Water

2-4 tablespoons EVOO, plus more to oil the sheet pan

1 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar, plus 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top

1 pound Black or Red Grapes, stemmed, cleaned, and dried

3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary, de-stemmed and chopped

Sprinkle of Sea Salt Flakes, I like Maldon

Directions

Preheated oven to 450 degrees.

Combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl until well blended.

Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the EVOO and sea salt, mixing to blend.

Start to incorporate the flour, a little bit at a time, until a ball of dough is formed.

Lightly flour a clean work surface and knead the dough until it is soft and elastic about 7 minutes. Add more flour if needed.

Oil a quarter-sheet 9×13 inch baking pan with EVOO.

Tip the dough out from the bowl onto the pan. Turn it over to coat the other side of the dough with olive oil.

Using your hands, pat the dough down to fit the pan. Try to maintain the same thickness all over.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a draft-free place for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Massage a generous amount of EVOO all over the top of the bread.

Lightly oil your fingertips and press them down into the dough to imprint typical dimples all over the focaccia. Place a grape into random dimples until each grape has been buried into a dimple.

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar, rosemary, and sea salt flakes.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm.