Schiacciata- What Kind of I-talian Word Is That?

Schiacciata is thinner and crisper than foccaccia.  It is very simple in toppings.    If you use the Easy bread dough recipe and keep some in the fridge all the time, then you can whip this out in no time!  My favorite version gives me a use for all the wonderful cherry tomatoes I have coming in right now.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. 

Knead about a grapefruit size ball of yeast dough for each one. Here'she Easy bread dough recipe .Put olive oil on a pan or a pizza stone and press the dough out pretty thin. Leave the indentions from your finger.  At this point you have choices about simple toppings.  This version is what I usually make.  I have seen it made with grapes just like I'm using the cherry tomatoes.

Savory Tomato and Rosemary Schiacciata

-cherry tomatoes (or Roma or other paste tomato cut in a large dice)

-rosemary

-black pepper

-coarse salt

Spread cherry tomatoes over the dough.  There may be a inch or two between them.  You can leave them whole or cut them in half.  I choose to cut them in half with the cut side up.   My thinking is that I don't want the juice to spill out and make the crust soggy.  Instead, I want it to become more concentrated.

Coarsely mince fresh or dry rosemary and sprinkle all over.

Grind coarse black pepper all over and sprinkle coarse salt.

Now drizzle with olive oil.  (I like to use garlic oil.)

I have learned that it works best to go ahead and run your pizza cutter around and cut it before it is cooked, otherwise if you just break pieces off after it's cooked, the little tomatoes fall off.  

Put in oven for about 20 minutes.  When it is done, you want there to be some crisp places on it.  

*Option:  You can drop some pesto around a few minutes before it is done.