Green sardenaira is a typical recipe from western Liguria, a variant of the classic red sardenaira.

It is not a pizza, as the dough is thicker and baked in a pan.

In this version, it is topped with spinach, eggs, parmesan, and Taggiasca olives. It’s practically a sort of omelet poured over the dough, and the result is truly surprising.

Once you try it, you can’t do without it.

In my home, it’s always on the table once a week, alternated with red sardenaira.

The dough is prepared several hours in advance, at least 4, to achieve perfect leavening. The longer it rises, the better it is.

The origin of sardenaira comes from the hinterland of Val Nervia (Dolceacqua, Isolabona, Apricale). It is said to have originally been created under the name machetusa, a focaccia topped with a maceration of anchovies, salt, and oil. Over time, it evolved with other toppings.

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Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Cheap
Rest time: 4 Hours
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Electric oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients for preparing green sardenaira

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
cup water
to taste fine salt
1 ½ tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
7 oz fresh spinach
2 eggs
2 ¾ oz grated parmesan cheese
to taste salt
to taste Taggiasca olives

Tools for preparing green sardenaira

2 Bowls
1 Baking Pan
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Salad Spinner

Steps for preparing green sardenaira

To prepare the delicious green sardenaira, start by dissolving the yeast in 150 ml of lukewarm water and a teaspoon of sugar (mix well with a teaspoon to dissolve it well).

Then in a bowl pour in the all-purpose flour, extra virgin olive oil, water with dissolved yeast and mix roughly with a wooden spoon. Finally, add the fine salt, as adding it earlier slows down leavening, and start kneading by hand. I knead directly in the bowl, but if you find it more convenient, you can knead on a pastry board for at least 5-8 minutes until you get a smooth and compact dough ball.
Cover it with a cloth and let it rise for 4-6 hours in a cool, dry place, always inside the bowl.
In the meantime, wash the spinach thoroughly using a salad spinner. They should be well spun. Chop them and place them in a bowl along with the eggs, grated parmesan cheese and fine salt. Mix everything well and set aside.
Once the dough has risen, grease a baking pan 10×14 inches and spread it out with your fingertips to create many grooves as in the picture and pour the spinach over the entire surface, leaving out the edges.
Add the Taggiasca olives and bake at 390°F for about 30-35 minutes.
Once the cooking time has passed, take it out of the oven, let it rest for 2 minutes, cut it into slices and … serve! Enjoy your meal!