The Focaccia with Olives and Onion: A Taranto Treasure
This focaccia is a true hymn to simplicity and flavour. It is not the classic high, soft focaccia, but a stuffed focaccia (often also called “pizza” or “Taranto-style pizzetta”) that hides a moist, sweet and intensely aromatic filling inside.
The Onions: Absolute protagonists. Ideally you would use sponsali (young onions), but if you can’t find them you can easily substitute with regular white onions. They are slowly stewed over low heat until they become sweet and almost creamy, then seasoned with anchovies and capers, creating a dense and very flavorful filling.
The “Ink” Olives: This is the detail that makes it unique and gives it its characteristic dark color. Use Celline di Nardò olives (or other local varieties like Leccine), called “ink” olives for their ability to turn the filling black during cooking. This not only adds an intense, briny flavor, but also gives the filling its typical dark and inviting appearance.
The Dough: Generally made with a mix of re-milled durum semolina and type 0 flour, which gives it a sturdy texture and a more rustic flavor.
The final result is a delicious contrast:
The exterior: A thin, golden crust, slightly brushed with oil.
The interior: A generous heart of stewed onions, with sweetness balanced by the savory taste of black olives, creating an irresistible balance of flavors that speaks of tradition and the sea.
It is a dish that tells the story of Taranto’s humble but flavor-rich cuisine.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven, Slow cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 345.24 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 56.83 (g) of which sugars 3.24 (g)
- Proteins 13.97 (g)
- Fat 9.68 (g) of which saturated 1.79 (g)of which unsaturated 4.29 (g)
- Fibers 5.81 (g)
- Sodium 994.61 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (type 0)
- 1 1/4 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina
- 1 potato (boiled)
- 0.5 oz fresh yeast
- 2 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/4 lb sponsali (young onions) (if you can't find them, use white onions)
- 10 1/2 oz black olives (Celline 'ink' variety)
- 3 fillets anchovy fillets
- 1 tbsp capers
- to taste salt (use sparingly because the olives are very salty)
- 1 1/4 cups water (warm)
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Baking Pan
- 1 Frying Pan
Steps
The first thing to do is prepare the onions. I recommend cleaning them and soaking them for at least 30 min. This will help prevent tearing when you slice them.
Slice them into not-too-thin slices.
Crush a previously boiled potato.
Finely chop the anchovies and capers.
Take a little water from the total called for in the recipe and dissolve the yeast in it.
Combine the two flours in a bowl.
Pour the flours into the stand mixer and add the dissolved yeast.
Add the boiled, mashed potato.
Start mixing with the stand mixer while slowly pouring in the water.
When all the water has been added and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, add the salt.
Finally, add the extra virgin olive oil.
Work until you obtain a smooth dough. Give it a few folds and shape it into a ball.
Divide the dough into two pieces: a larger one for the base and a smaller one for the top. Place them in two separate bowls and let rise in a turned-off oven with the light on for at least 2 hours.
Prepare the filling now. In a frying pan, pour the olive oil and let the onions soften.
Cook for about 50 min and once they have wilted add the chopped capers and anchovies.
Then add the Celline “ink” olives.
When the onions have turned black, turn off the heat and allow to cool.
At this point, roll out the larger piece of dough thinly.
Place it to cover the base of a well-oiled 10 1/4 in pan with extra-virgin olive oil.
Fill with the cooled onion mixture.
Cover with the second, smaller sheet of dough and seal the edges.
Brush the surface with extra-virgin olive oil.
Prick well with the tines of a fork and bake in a preheated oven at 428°F for about 30 min.
Once baked, cover the focaccia with a damp cloth and leave it for 1 hour. Our Taranto-style focaccia with olives and onion is ready to enjoy.
