Scaccia (from Ragusa, Sicily)

 

Scaccia is a Italian dish, that is very similar to a Calzone

My Mom would make it for every Christmas Eve, and Easter.

She would make a few different styles. 

• Tomato, Pepperoni  and Pecorino Romano Cheese Scaccia
• Italian Sausage and Spinach with Mozzarella Cheese Scaccia
• Lamb and Garlic Scaccia

My favorite was the Italian Sausage and Spinach with Mozzarella Cheese Scaccia, I love this one. 

Here is a recipe for the Tomato, with Pecorino Romano Cheese Scaccia, you can add Pepperoni if you like.

Recipe: 

Dough: 

5 c flour*             

1-1/2 tsp salt                      

1 pkg yeast      

1/3 c olive oil      

Approx 1-1/3 c warm water

*I use ½ white and ½ white whole wheat flour and proof my yeast first.

Sauce:  

2 large cans crushed tomatoes                   

1-2 cloves garlic

Crushed basil                                                     

salt & pepper

Assembly:           

1-1/3 c grated Romano                  

4 c diced aged, sharp, provolone (about 2-1/4 pounds)

                                

Olive oil                                                

salt and pepper (don’t use pepper mill)

Knead dough until smooth, soft and firm.  Coat with olive oil.  Cover and let rise about 3-1/2 hours in a warm place; do not move.  I use clean pillow cases that I save from year to year just for this and put 2 or 3 small blankets under and over it.  Then I bless it like Mom used to do and it grows!  To make things easier later, you can form the dough into 4 balls before setting to rise.  This way you don’t have to disturb the rest of the dough while you’re working with the one piece.  Keep remaining dough oiled as you work.

While it’s rising, sauté garlic in a little olive oil in a pot, add 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes,  salt, basil & pepper.  Simmer for 1 hour.  Let cool before using on dough or it will melt holes in it.  If you have some left when you’re done, you can use it for pizza!

Spread a little olive oil on your rolling surface.  Take 1/4 of the dough and flip it on the surface so you get a little oil on both sides.  Roll it out in a roughly rectangular shape.  Spread tomato sauce on it.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with Romano and then Provolone.  Keep away from about a ¼” or less margin around the ends to keep ingredients from leaking out when folding. 

Now fold over 1/2” or less of both long ends of your rectangle.  Fold in just enough to make sides even or straight on the long ends.  Now take a short end and fold over to the middle of your rectangle.  Fold over other short end to meet that one in the middle.  Spread a little more sauce and sprinkle a littler more cheese.  Now fold one end over to meet other end, like you’re closing a book.  Carefully pick up by putting hands under each end and move to oiled sheet pan.

Bake at 350 (340 at speed bake) degrees until golden brown – about one hour.  I smear a little sauce down the middle of the loaves once they are on the sheet pan before baking.  I let cool a bit on baking sheet and then move to counter where I put them on paper towels that have been placed over a few layers of newspaper to absorb excess moisture.  Can be served hot or cold or room temperature.  Cool completely before storing.

                 

(You can add sausage; there are many variations on line from Italy.)