Catanese broccoli scacciata, one of the cornerstones of Sicilian cuisine and grandma’s recipes, a Christmas must alongside traditional sweets such as Buccellati, Mosto-cooked biscuits, and Cuddureddi.
The scacciate of Sicily and Catania are ancient savory pies made with an dough based on re-milled durum semolina, the same used to make bread. They belong to the great family of Sicilian rosticceria and street food, and are indispensable during the Catanese autumn and winter. Different from the Scaccia ragusana and more similar to the Cudduruni lentinese, they are ideal to serve at informal dinners with friends and family and perfect for picnics and outings. A typical Catanese preparation, born as a peasant dish but full of flavor and nostalgia. Often present on our tables during the winter, together with the scacciata di tuma it is a ‘must’ for the Christmas Eve feast. Besides the broccoli, which are the stars, the filling includes tuma and grated cheese; depending on tastes and family traditions, it may also contain black olives and anchovies. One real tip for preparation: be generous with the oil—don’t overdo it but don’t skimp; it shouldn’t drip oil, but its presence should be felt.
After baking, cover it with a cloth and let it rest for an hour so it softens, then serve still warm.

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Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Very cheap
Rest time: 2 Hours
Preparation time: 1 Hour
Portions: 5
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Autumn, Winter

Ingredients to make the broccoli scacciata

2.2 lb broccoli
1 onion (medium)
to taste salt
to taste extra virgin olive oil
to taste pepper
3.6 cups semolina (re-milled durum wheat)
1 2/3 cups water
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast (or 0.4 oz fresh)
2 tsp salt
All the dough
All the broccoli
to taste extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Parmigiano (or Grana)
11 oz toma (Sicilian toma or stretched-curd cheese)

Tools

Oven
Baking pan 14×16 in

Preparation of the broccoli scacciata

For the broccoli
Start by preparing the broccoli so they will be cool by the time you need them.
To prepare them, separate the florets from each other, then with a knife try to remove the tough and stringy parts.
Cut the stalks lengthwise without reaching the florets, place them in a large pan, add the onion, black pepper, salt and oil, and mix.
Let them stew over very low heat for about thirty minutes, stir and turn off the heat.
For the dough and the scacciata
In a large bowl gather the flour, pour in almost all the water and the yeast, dissolve it, then mix everything together.
Pour the remaining water into a corner and add the salt, then start mixing in the bowl, but as soon as the mass gains consistency, turn it out onto the work surface and knead it; if you like you can add a little oil with the water for a silkier dough.
Kneading the dough by hand is hard work but very rewarding, so arm yourself with patience and stretch and fold the dough for at least ten minutes.
When the dough looks silky and smooth, elastic and homogeneous, you’re done: shape it into a ball and keep it warm until it doubles in size. You can keep it in the oven with the light on; you will get a temperature of about 79°F.
When the dough has doubled in volume, divide it into two parts without deflating it too much. Roll out one half of the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness no greater than 0.2 in (about 3/16 in).
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and brush it with a little oil.
Cover the pan with the rolled-out sheet of dough.
Arrange the broccoli evenly, add the toma and the grated cheese (Parmigiano or Grana), drizzle with oil, sprinkle some black pepper; if you like, you can add black olives and anchovies. Roll out another thin sheet of dough and cover the filling. Trim the edges so they match perfectly. Seal the sides by folding the edge of the dough inward. With the dough sealed you can bake it, but first make a small hole in the center to let the steam escape, and brush the entire surface with oil.
Bake at the highest temperature for thirty minutes in a convection oven; as soon as the scacciata has taken color, lower the temperature to 356°F for the last ten minutes. Once out of the oven, brush the entire surface with oil using a napkin or a brush.
Cover the scacciata with a cotton cloth and let it rest at least one hour before serving.