Today we are preparing Ragusane Scacce with Parsley and Tomato.
The Ragusane scaccia is a dish from the culinary tradition of the province of Ragusa, in Sicily.
The Ragusane scaccia with parsley and tomato is a particularly tasty and appetizing version of the typical Ragusane preparation.
The sheet is rolled out very thin with a rolling pin, filled and rolled or folded onto itself.
It is filled with parsley, chopped tomatoes, onion, and Ragusano cheese.
The traditional Ragusane scacce dough is made with re-milled durum wheat semolina.
Semolina generally has a good glycemic response.
The whole wheat semolina – richer in fiber – remains the recommended choice for those who want a low glycemic index dough.
Excellent are the semolinas of ancient grains: Maiorca, Perciasacchi, Russello, Senatore Cappelli, Tumminia.
To learn more, you can click on the following link: Semolina and flours glycemic index type 2 diabetes.
With or without yeast.
I recommend using a mixer even if it is possible to work it by hand.
The Ragusane scaccia is a preparation that requires a bit of manual skill but do not be discouraged: the scacce do not have to be perfect to be good!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
Ingredients
The whole wheat dough is slightly more delicate to handle and roll out.
– if it’s your first time;
– if you knead by hand;
I recommend using re-milled durum wheat semolina.
- 4 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina (or whole wheat)
- 1 1/4 cups water (lightly sparkling)
- 1/4 tsp dry yeast (Mastro Fornaio PANEANGELI)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- as needed semolina (for rolling out the dough)
- 1/2 onion
- as needed cherry tomatoes (cherry or grape)
- as needed basil
- 1 bunch parsley
- cheese (Ragusano provola or primo sale cheese)
- 3 1/2 tbsp water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch coarsely chopped red chili pepper
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
As an alternative to the gram of dry yeast, you can use:
– 3 g of fresh yeast;
– 4 g of dried sourdough yeast.
You can prepare your Ragusane scacce dough without yeast and shorten the preparation time:
– do not add yeast;
– add a pinch of baking soda.
Suggested Tools
I recommend using a mixer, although it is possible to work it by hand.
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Food scale digital
- Mixer and dough hook
- Bowl for leavening with lid
- Cutting board kneading board
- Rolling pin
- Baking tray 10×11 inches
- Baking paper
Preparation
The Ragusane scaccia with parsley and tomato is filled with parsley, chopped tomatoes, onion, and Ragusano cheese.
Onion
Peel the onion and slice it thinly.Tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly.
Cut and remove the stem part if you think it’s appropriate.
Cut each berry vertically into four wedges.Basil
Select and wash the basil leaves.
Let them drain in a colander.
Gently pat with kitchen paper to remove excess water.Parsley
naturally abundant!
Select and wash the parsley sprigs.
Let them drain in a colander.
Gently pat with kitchen paper to remove excess water.
Coarsely chop with a knife.Cheese
Cut the Ragusano provola or primo sale cheese into chunks.Rustic sauce
In a pan:
– add the onion and let it soften for a few seconds;
– stew with a few ml of water;
– add the tomatoes, add the basil and let it reduce for about 5 minutes over high heat;
– add salt and coarsely chopped red chili pepper.Wait for the rustic sauce to cool.
Add to the cold rustic sauce:
– the chopped parsley;
– the cheese chunks;
a drizzle of oil and mix.For Ragusane scacce dough without yeast, follow the instructions in the next paragraph: Ragusane scacce dough with yeast but
– do not 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 should be warm, not hot – and dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
Pour the semolina or whole wheat semolina and the oil into the mixer bowl and set the mixer to 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 knead it briefly by hand to form a dough ball.
Sprinkle the bottom of a bowl with some semolina and place the dough ball inside.
Seal the bowl with a lid or by wrapping it with plastic wrap.
Store it in a cool, dark place.after 4 hours
Turn the dough out onto a work surface lightly floured with a little semolina.
Knead it a few more minutes by hand and shape it back into a dough ball.
Place it back in the bowl, seal it, and store it in the same place.after 24 hours
* after 24 hours the dough should have doubled or almost doubled;
leavening is influenced by various factors such as flour, yeast, and environmental conditions.Turn the leavened dough out onto a work surface lightly floured with a little semolina.
Knead it a few minutes by hand to restore elasticity.
Divide the dough into pieces, from 4 to 8 depending on the size you want to give your scacce.
Line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper to place the scacce.
Roll out each dough ball with a rolling pin, using a little semolina, until you get a round or rectangular sheet as thin as possible.
The whole wheat dough is more delicate to handle than the classic dough.
It’s an alternation of flour, roll out, flour, roll out, rotate and so on.
Manual skill is needed, not perfection, and don’t worry if the sheet has some tears.Distribute plenty of filling leaving the edges free.
Fold to close the two sides of the dough sheet towards the center.Distribute more generous filling.
Fold from top to center.
Fold again to close the scaccia.Prick the scaccia with a fork in several places.
[step by step images valid for every type of filling].
Place it on the baking tray.
If you have difficulty rolling out the dough, you can use a pasta machine – Nonna Papera – to obtain thin and uniform strips to fill and roll over themselves to prepare small scacce:
– divide the dough into smaller pieces;
– flatten the dough ball with your hands;
– pass the dough ball at 1;
– fold the sheet and pass the folded sheet at 1;
– finally, pass the sheet at 6.
Set the oven as follows:
– maximum temperature [428°F];
– fan mode.Preheat well.
Bake for 20 minutes and check the cooking.
* times and temperatures may vary depending on the oven and depending on the size of the scacce.
In my mother’s larger and more powerful oven, 20 minutes are enough, in mine it takes 30.Your Ragusane Scacce with Parsley and Tomato are ready.
Delicious both hot and cold, but I recommend waiting until they are warm.
Enjoy your meal!
You can see the complete collection by clicking on the following link: Ragusane Scaccia: Dough, Types, Flavors.
Storage, Tips, and Variations
Gluten-free alternative
For a gluten-free Ragusane scacce dough you can use gluten-free bread flour.
The dough will obviously be less elastic.
If you are from another region and cannot find Ragusano provola or primo sale cheese, you can use another stringy cheese.
Lactose-free alternative
Use a lactose-free stringy cheese or leave it out entirely.
Vegan alternative
Use a plant-based cheese or leave it out entirely.
If you have leftover dough:
– you can use it to make delicious flatbreads or whole wheat flatbreads;
– you can freeze it by wrapping the dough ball with food film; the night before use, transfer it to the fridge to defrost, then leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours before rolling it out.
If they are left over, they are also good the next day!
The scacce can be stored:
– 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 regain crunchiness.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use other flours?
Remember that the dough must always be elastic and firm.
You may not achieve the characteristic result of the Ragusane scaccia.Why sparkling water in the dough?
Sparkling water helps make the dough lighter and softer.
However, you can safely use still water as well.From a nutritional point of view
From a nutritional point of view, the Ragusane scaccia with parsley and tomato and with cheese is similar to a margherita pizza but usually has a more favorable glycemic impact.
Add your portion of vegetables to make a balanced meal or one-dish meal that helps keep blood sugar levels stable.
