Today we prepare the ragusana scacce with cauliflower or broccoli.
The ragusana scaccia is a dish of the culinary tradition of the province of Ragusa, in Sicily.
Ragusana scaccia with cauliflower or broccoli, in dialect scaccia che ciurietti or sciurietti or scaccia che ciuriddi or sciuriddi.
It is mpanata the dough is rolled out thicker, filled and closed like a round savory pie or a half-moon calzone with a particular embroidery called riefico.
It is filled with cauliflower or broccoli – usually purple cauliflower or Sicilian cauliflower namely purple broccoli or Sicilian broccoli.
The traditional ragusana scacce dough is made with re-milled durum wheat semolina.
The semolina generally has a good glycemic response.
The whole semolina – richer in fibers – remains the recommended choice for those who desire a dough with a low glycemic index.
Excellent ancient grain semolinas: Maiorca, Perciasacchi, Russello, Senatore Cappelli, Tumminia.
For more information, you can click the following link: semolina and flours glycemic index.
With or without yeast.
I recommend using a mixer even if it can be worked by hand.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
Ingredients
- 4 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina (or whole wheat)
- 1 1/4 cups water (slightly sparkling)
- 1 g dry yeast (Mastro Fornaio PANEANGELI)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 head cauliflower (or broccoli)
- as needed water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
As an alternative to the gram of dry yeast, you can use:
– 3 g of fresh yeast;
– 4 g of dry sourdough yeast.
You can prepare your ragusana scacce dough without yeast and shorten the preparation time:
– don’t add yeast;
– add a pinch of baking soda.
According to taste, you can add to the filling: black olives and sun-dried tomatoes, ragusana provola cheese or primo sale cheese in chunks, preferably defatted sausage, raisins [not recommended in case of hyperglycemia], walnuts.
Suggested Tools
I recommend using a mixer, even if it can be worked by hand.
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Food Scale digital
- Mixer and hook attachment
- Bowl for rising with lid
- Cutting Board pastry board
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Sheet 10×11 inches
- Parchment Paper
Preparation
It is filled with cauliflower or broccoli – usually purple cauliflower or Sicilian cauliflower namely purple broccoli or Sicilian broccoli.
Cut the cauliflower or broccoli into florets and slightly slit the stems of the florets with a knife.
Place the florets in a colander and wash them thoroughly under running water.
* for a more thorough cleaning, soak the florets in water with a bit of baking soda for at least 20 minutes.In a pot, bring salted water to a boil.
Add the cauliflower or broccoli florets and a pinch of baking soda and blanch them for a few minutes.
With the help of a skimmer, carefully remove the florets and transfer them to a container.Let them cool and cut the florets into pieces.
Season with a pinch of salt and grind the pepper.
According to taste, you can add to the filling: black olives and sun-dried tomatoes, ragusana provola cheese or primo sale cheese in chunks, preferably defatted sausage, raisins [not recommended in case of hyperglycemia], walnuts.
Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and mix.For the ragusana scacce dough without yeast, follow the instructions in the next paragraph: ragusana scacce dough with yeast but
– don’t add yeast;
– add a pinch of baking soda.Knead and let the dough rest at room temperature for about an hour.
After this time, your yeast-free dough will be ready to use.
Heat the water – it must be warm, not hot – and dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
Pour the semolina or whole semolina and the oil into the mixer bowl and start the mixer at speed 1.
Continue working at speed 2 for about 10 minutes:
– adding a little at a time the water in which you dissolved the yeast;
– adding the salt halfway through, to avoid direct contact with the yeast;
until you get an elastic and firm dough.Transfer the dough to a work surface and briefly knead it by hand to form a loaf.
Dust the bottom of a bowl with a little semolina and place the loaf inside.
Seal the bowl with a lid or by wrapping it with plastic wrap.
Place it in a cool, dark place.4 hours from kneading
Turn the dough out onto a work surface lightly dusted with semolina.
Knead it by hand for a few minutes and give it the loaf shape again.
Place it back in the bowl, seal it and put it in the same place.24 hours from kneading
* after 24 hours the dough should be doubled or almost;
various factors such as flour, yeast, and environmental conditions affect the leavening.Turn the risen dough out onto a work surface lightly dusted with semolina.
Knead it by hand for a few minutes to regain elasticity.
Divide the dough into 4 loaves or loaves of about 120-150 g and according to the size you want to give to your scacce.
Line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper in which to place the scacce.
Roll each loaf with the rolling pin, using a little semolina, until you get a disc of dough about 0.12-0.16 inches thick.
It is an alternation of dust, roll, dust, roll, rotate and so on.
* for a regular shape, cut the disc using a bowl or a plate, a lid, or a pastry cutter.
Distribute the vegetable filling on half of the disc leaving the edges free.
Abbucca that is, fold the empty half of the disc over the filled half, closing it like a calzone.
Seal the edges with your fingers.
Turn the edge over on itself to get the characteristic rieficu or simply close it as if it were a calzone.Prick the scaccia with a fork in several places.
* the grandmother’s trick: if you have prepared scacce with different fillings, prick them with the fork embroidering the initials of the filling e.g.: C for cauliflower or B for broccoli.[step-by-step images valid for any type of filling].
Place it in the baking sheet.
Set the oven as follows:
– temperature 356°F;
– ventilated mode.Preheat well.
Bake for 45 minutes and check the cooking.
* times and temperatures may vary depending on the oven and based on the size of the scacce.If you want a less rustic look, polish the surface of the scacce by brushing them with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
Your ragusana scacce with cauliflower or broccoli are ready.
Excellent both hot and cold, but I recommend waiting until they are warm.
Enjoy your meal!
If the filling also includes cheese or preferably defatted sausage, the scaccia with cauliflower or broccoli is a complete dish, add your portion of vegetables to compose a balanced meal or single dish that helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.
You can consult the complete collection by clicking the following link: ragusana scaccia: dough, types, flavors.
Storage, Tips, and Variations
You can use the dough and filling to prepare:
– a savory pie filled with cauliflower or broccoli;
– a focaccia stuffed with cauliflower or broccoli;
in a baking dish or cake pan to serve in slices.
Gluten-Free Alternative
For a gluten-free ragusana scacce dough you can use gluten-free bread flour.
The pastry will obviously be less elastic.
The filling can be adapted to different dietary needs:
– lactose-free;
– vegan;
– vegetarian.
If the dough is left:
– you can use it to prepare delicious flatbreads or whole flatbreads;
– you can freeze it by wrapping the loaf in plastic wrap; the night before use, transfer it to the fridge to thaw, then leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours before rolling it out.
If they are left over, they are also great the next day!
The scacce store:
– at room temperature for 1 day;
– in the fridge for 2-3 days;
– in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Heat them briefly in the oven to restore crispness.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use other flours?
Remember that the dough must always be elastic and firm.
You might not achieve the characteristic result of the ragusana scaccia.Why sparkling water in the dough?
Sparkling water makes the dough lighter and softer.
However, you can also safely use still water.Dialectal and Local Curiosities
The ragusana scaccia with cauliflower or broccoli is variously known from Ragusa to Modica and its surroundings as:
– scaccia che ciurietti or sciurietti or scaccia che ciuriddi or sciuriddi;
– pastizzu ri ciurietti or sciurietti or pastizzu ri ciuriddi or sciuriddi if round in shape;
– buccatieddu ri ciurietti or sciurietti or buccatieddu ri ciuriddi or sciuriddi if crescent-shaped.
