Rustic, melty and with a bold character: this Stuffed Focaccia with Tuna, Onions and Scamorza is the perfect solution for a tasty last-minute dinner.
There is something magical about the smell of focaccia baking in the oven, but let’s admit it: the challenge doubles when we decide to stuff it! Today I want to offer you a super-flavorful variation, with a filling that is a true celebration of Mediterranean flavors: tuna, caramelized onions and the melty touch of smoked scamorza cheese.
How many times have you taken a stuffed focaccia out of the oven only to find it soggy or too moist inside? In this post I won’t just give you perfect amounts, I’ll reveal the baker’s tricks to get a crunchy base, a dry filling and a golden surface that will win everyone over at the first bite. You can find these and other tips in the Tips and Suggestions section at the bottom of the page.
Whether for a dinner with friends, a picnic or a buffet, this focaccia will become your new go-to. Try it!
Let’s see together how to make the recipe for Stuffed Focaccia with Tuna, Onions and Scamorza. Prepare the ingredients and let’s start!
And if you try it, don’t forget to let me know in the comments on my Facebook page HERE. If you like, give the page a Like: it would make me really happy. See you there.
Gabriella
Other tasty recipes to try:
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp active dry yeast (or 0.21 oz (about 6 g) fresh yeast)
- 3/4 cup water (at room temperature – not cold (about 180 ml))
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt (about 7 g)
- 5.6 oz tuna in oil (2 cans of 2.8 oz (80 g) each)
- 2 onions (about 10.6–14.1 oz (300–400 g))
- 4.2 oz smoked scamorza cheese (or non-smoked)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 pinch sugar (to caramelize the onions)
- as needed breadcrumbs
Tools
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Baking pan
Steps
First of all, put the flour and the yeast into the bowl of the stand mixer and start working the mixture at low speed. This step helps to oxygenate the flour and evenly distribute the yeast, ensuring an even rise without lumps.
If you use fresh baker’s yeast, remember to crumble it very well with your fingers into the flour.
Next, pour the water in a little at a time, keeping the mixer at constant speed. Continue to work the dough until it becomes smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
It is essential not to add all the water at once: by pouring it slowly you give the flour proteins time to absorb the liquids correctly, initiating the formation of the gluten network.
Once the water has been completely absorbed, add the extra virgin olive oil in several additions. Pour a little, let the dough fully incorporate it and only then proceed with the next amount.
Only at this point add the salt. Continue kneading until the dough is shiny, elastic and perfectly hooked to the dough hook — that is, completely detached from the bowl walls and wrapped around the hook.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it double in a warm place, such as an oven with the light on, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Thinly slice the onions and sweat them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, over low heat with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until they become tender and translucent. If needed, add a splash of water.
Once ready, let them cool. In a bowl, combine the onions with the tuna, well drained and flaked. Add olives if you like. I didn’t add them because I didn’t have any.
Take back the dough that has risen and divide it into two parts: one slightly larger (about 2/3) for the base and a smaller one for the top. Let them rest for about 15 minutes on the work surface.
Roll out the larger piece on a lightly floured surface and lay it into an oiled baking pan, shaping it so that it rises slightly up the sides.
Tip: if the dough is very elastic and tends to “shrink” while you stretch it, let it rest 5 minutes in the pan and then resume. The gluten will relax and stretching will be much easier.
Sprinkle the base with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Evenly distribute the tuna and onion mixture on the base, taking care to leave about one centimeter free from the edge, and finally add the scamorza in slices or cubes.
Roll out the second piece of dough very thinly and lay it over the filling. Seal the two layers by pressing firmly along the edges, then fold them inward to form a uniform cord.
With the tines of a fork, prick the surface: this will allow steam to escape during baking, preventing the focaccia from puffing up. Let it rest, covered, for about 30 minutes. Finally, brush with an emulsion of water and oil and finish with a pinch of salt and a little oregano.
Transfer the pan to a preheated static oven at 428°F and bake for about 18-22 minutes.
Tip for a crispy base: for the first 8-10 minutes place the pan directly on the bottom of the oven, then move it to mid-height to finish the browning.
The focaccia will be ready when the surface is evenly golden and the edges appear crisp and slightly detached from the pan walls. Brush with a little extra virgin olive oil to make it shiny and soft.
Remove from the oven and let the focaccia rest for a couple of minutes before cutting: this allows the cheese to settle, making the slice perfectly melty and easy to serve.
Here is the Stuffed Focaccia with Tuna, Onions and Scamorza ready. Enjoy!
Until the next recipe
Storage
You can store the Stuffed Focaccia with Tuna, Onions and Scamorza at room temperature for 2 days under a glass dome or wrapped in plastic wrap.
To reheat it, avoid the microwave if you want to keep the crispiness. The best way is to reheat in a hot oven at 356°F for 5 minutes or in a nonstick pan with the lid on over very low heat: it will be like freshly baked!
Tips and Suggestions
Secrets for recipe success:
– The enemy is moisture: if you use very watery onions or tuna that isn’t well drained, the base of the focaccia will be soggy. The trick of a light layer of breadcrumbs on the base before filling is the baker’s “lifesaver”: it absorbs excess liquids and ensures a dry bake.
– Filling temperature: don’t rush! Putting still-warm onions into raw dough will ruin the rise, creating a gummy effect. Prepare the filling in advance and let it cool completely.
– The perfect scamorza: I recommend smoked scamorza for a sharp contrast with the sweetness of the onions, but if you prefer a milder flavor, the white (non-smoked) one is fine. The important thing is that it is dry and not fresh like mozzarella in whey.
– After filling and closing the focaccia, don’t put it in the oven immediately. Let it rest in the pan for another 20-30 minutes covered with a cloth. This allows the gluten network to relax, making it much softer after baking.
– The magic emulsion: instead of just oil, brush the surface with an emulsion of 2 parts oil to 1 part water (and a pinch of salt). The water creates steam in the oven, keeping the crust thin and not hard.
Substitutions and Variations
– Scamorza: you can replace it with grated Emmental or sweet Provolone. If you are looking for a stronger flavor, try crumbling some Greek feta together with the tuna.
– Add a handful of Taggiasca olives or desalted capers to the tuna and onion mix for an extra salty kick.
– Flour: if you want a more rustic focaccia, you can replace 100 g of 00 flour with whole wheat or type 1 flour, increasing the water slightly (about 10-20 ml more).
Quick tip to speed up
If you’re short on time, you can double the amount of dry yeast (use 2 tsp instead of 1 tsp). In this case, the first rise will go from about 2 hours to about 1 to 1 hour 15 minutes, saving you over an hour in total.
Preparation timings
Here is a realistic schedule for preparing the focaccia (Example for a dinner at 8:00 PM).
Note: rising times can vary by 30-60 minutes depending on the temperature in your home.
4:00 PM – Dough (15 min): mix flour, yeast, water, oil and salt. Work the dough until smooth.
4:15 PM – First rise (2 h 30 min): put the dough in a covered bowl in a warm place (e.g. oven off with light on).
5:30 PM – Prepare filling (20 min): while the dough rises, sweat the onions in a pan and prepare the tuna. Let everything cool well (critical step!).
6:45 PM – Shaping and filling (15 min): divide the dough, roll the base into the oiled pan, fill with tuna and onions, cover with the second disk and seal the edges.
7:00 PM – Second rise / Rest in pan (30 min): essential for softness. Cover with a cloth. Turn the oven to 392°F around 7:15 PM.
7:30 PM – Bake (30 min): brush with the brine and bake.
8:00 PM – Remove from oven and rest (5-10 min): brush with the final brine and let rest before cutting.
Zero Waste Corner: No Kitchen Waste
In the kitchen nothing goes to waste! If after preparing the focaccia you have left-over ingredients, here’s how to turn them into new tasty recipes:
– Tuna oil: if you use high-quality jarred tuna, don’t throw away the oil! Strain it and use it to flavor the soffritto for a seafood pasta or to brush onto crostini as an appetizer.
– Leftover sautéed onions: if you cooked too many, they are perfect the next day in a rustic omelette or as a garnish for a homemade gourmet burger. You can also blend them with some soft cheese to create a quick mousse for crostini.
– Dough trimmings: if you have scraps of dough after trimming the focaccia, roll them up to make mini oregano breadsticks. Bake them with the focaccia during the last 10 minutes: they’ll be the perfect snack while you wait for dinner!
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