Do you know the Catanese banishment with broccoli and sausage ? Sicilian rustic cake of great taste, it is a typical dish of the province of Catania and beyond. From the particular dough and the stringy and delicious filling, it is a sin of gluttony which is practically impossible to resist. It is, as often happens, a dish of peasant origin, which today is made widely throughout the Christmas period. The secret of his success? The unique taste of simplicity: let's find out more.
The origin of the Sicilian scacciata
As anticipated, it derives from poor cooking : and in fact, it is said that the women, at the end of a morning spent baking bread, with part of this dough made the "chased out", which they went to fill with vegetables from the garden. Hence the use of broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, but also anchovies (poor food) and tuma, a local cheese. Despite being made with bread dough, the scacciata has no crumb.
Scacciata from Catania, the dough
The simplicity of this rustic is immediately evident from the dough of the Sicilian scacciata , which does not include anything but flour and water (naturally with the addition of the yeast necessary to make it rise). Over time, however, the recipe has been enriched with some ingredients that can be considered optional: these are lard and sugar . As for the flour, it is advisable to use re-milled durum wheat semolina .
Catania scacciata with sourdough
The catanese scacciata is usually made with fresh or dehydrated brewer's yeast. However, nothing prevents you from preparing it with sourdough , especially if you are familiar with leavened products: it will give you great satisfaction (even if the times will be extended by a few hours).
The recipe for the Catania scacciata with broccoli and sausage
Between ingredients and procedure, here's how to churn out a delicious Schiacciata in just a few steps.
Ingredients for the scacciata dough
- 400 g of re-milled durum wheat semolina flour
- 300 ml of water (approximately)
- 1 g of fresh brewer's yeast
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Stuffing ingredients
- 600 g of broccoli
- 4 sausage knots
- 200 gr of (cheese) tuma
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree (optional)
- 1 onion
- 80-100 g of black olives
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
Preparation of scacciata with broccoli and sausage
Prepare the dough by hand or use the planetary mixer: pour the re-milled durum wheat semolina into the bowl of the latter. Dissolve the brewer's yeast in half a glass of water (taken from the total). Start adding it little by little with the planetarium in action with the hook mounted. Start adding the remaining one, always flush, and the oil. Once almost all of it has been added, add the salt and the last drop of water left. Once you have obtained a firm and smooth dough, transfer it to a bowl greased with oil, cover it with plastic wrap and transfer it to the lower part of the fridge until the following day. After this time, take the dough out and let it rise until the evening, well covered.
In the meantime, prepare the filling : cut the tuma into slices. Blanch the broccoli cut into florets for a few minutes in boiling salted water. Drain them al dente. Brown 1/2 clove of garlic in extra virgin olive oil, then add the broccoli and brown these too for a few minutes. Remove the garlic and let them cool in a colander. Remove the casing from the sausage and crumble it: cook it in a pan with 3 tablespoons of tomato puree (optional) and a drizzle of oil for 10 minutes. It will have to dry completely. Cut the onion and small pieces, and the black olives too, after having pitted them. Grease the bottom of a large roasting pan with oil.
Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll one out into a disc. Place it on the tray. Stuff it with the tuma slices (taking care to leave a couple of cm free from the edge), distribute the broccoli, sausage, onions and olives. Roll out the other part of the dough and transfer it to the filled disc, overlapping it perfectly. Close the edges with your fingers greased with oil. Let it rise for just over half an hour and, in the meantime, turn on the oven at 160°. Prick the surface of the scacciata and bake for about 45 minutes, raising the temperature to 200 for the last 5 minutes.
The variants of the Sicilian scacciata
The Sicilian Schiacciata recipe is subject to various variations , depending on the area of origin but also on personal tastes, according to which minced meat or typical Sicilian cheeses can be preferred. The Catania scacciata with potatoes is one of these: it is made using thin slices of potatoes, tomato pulp, onion, tuma and grated cheeses such as parmesan and pecorino in the filling. The Catania scacciata with cauliflower accompanies the one with tuma and anchovies , a real treat. Not to be missed is the Catania scacciata with broccoli (poached) and potatoes or bacon, which can be proposed for a different family dinner than usual.
Expelled from Catania Thermomix
Preparing the Catania scacciata with the Thermomix is even easier: pour the flour, the tepid water in which you have dissolved the brewer's yeast, the oil and the salt into the mixing bowl and mix for 1 minute/Spiga speed. Collect the dough, create a loaf and let it rise in a container as described above. The rest of the procedure as regards filling and cooking is the same as we have seen before.
