If the Adriatic side of Italy is all about piadina, crescia, pizza scima, and torta al testo (from the inland), then the Tyrrhenian side is all about Tuscan schiacciata and Roman pizza bianca (pizza without toppings, similar to focaccia). In our journey through the pizza, piadina, and focaccia of Italy, this time we’ve decided to explore two of the simplest recipes, which also happen to be two of the biggest “stars” of Italian street food.
From the fire to the oven
The schiacciata toscana – also called ‘ciaccia’ (in Arezzo and Valdichiana), ‘schiaccia,’ ‘stiacciata’ or ‘schiacciata all'olio’ (to distinguish it from the Florentine schiacciata, which is actually a dessert) – was a typical peasant’s dish, with origins as ancient as they are uncertain. Originally, it was a disc of dough made from mixing water with various ground grains, then flattened by hand (‘schiacciata’ in Italian) and cooked on stones heated over a fire – a recipe reminiscent of the ancient Roman ‘placentia’ described by Cato the Elder that would become the “grandfather” of so many other Central Italian schiacciata bread recipes, like the Umbrian torta al testo.
Then, during the Middle Ages in Tuscany, they started baking the bread in the oven. In the baking tradition of the region, the farmers made bread once a week. And they filled the oven with many schiacciate, which served as “test bread” to make sure the oven was at the right temperature for baking other loaves of bread. The schiacciata, in fact, was made from the same dough as the regular bread – composed of water, flour, yeast, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt sprinkled on the surface. With such a simple base, the schiacciata was perfect for being topped with cold cuts, vegetables, and cheese. Even Lorenzo de Medici was a fan, having once written, "Doman t'arrecherò una schiacciata.” (“Tomorrow, I’ll make you a schiacciata.”) Its appearance is like a typical "pizza bianca" (or “white pizza” in English) – similar to focaccia, but less oily and not as soft, with different degrees of crunchiness depending on the location where it’s made.
A survey to better understand the schiacciata
To better understand just how many different versions of schiaccata are out there, a survey was carried out in 2014 by the Regione Toscana, Unioncamere, l’Accademia della Crusca, l’Accademia dei Georgofili, and other gastronome and bakers’ associations. The aim was to create some order between Garfagnana’s ‘ciaccino,’ Massa’s ‘fugassa’ (with its very obvious Ligurian influences), the Lunigiana ‘carsenta,’ the ‘cofaccia’ from Pistoia and the ‘panigaccio’ or ‘pieda’ from the Apennines. Eventually, the survey resulted in about 617 different names and recipes for schiacciata! Fluffy or flat, soft or crunchy, more salt, less salt, with regular flour (or not), greased with lard or baked dry on its own, fried or not. With higher, crunchy edges or with lower, softer edges. Baked for longer than usual or baked for a shorter time. Stuffed or not. We could keep going, but you get the idea, right?
And at 11 o'clock, the eternal city stopped for pizza bianca romana
The pizza bianca romana (or Roman white pizza) has a very similar history, even if its DNA is more urban than rural: In fact, this recipe was also born as a “test” bread for bakers to check oven temperatures. Since the times of ancient Rome, pizza bianca has been combined with figs – perhaps the first urban "street food" in history. For centuries, at 11 o'clock, Rome stopped for a pizza bianca snack, with figs squeezed directly onto the pizza, eventually becoming a filling over time instead. Alternatively, pizza bianca was eaten with cheese, ricotta or Roman chicory. It was only later that richer ingredients were added, like prosciutto crudo, prosciutto cotto, salami or mortadella.
Subtle differences
The recipe for pizza bianca romana includes flour, water, salt, brewer's yeast and sometimes barley malt. Its characteristic friability is all thanks to the extra-virgin olive oil, which is drizzled onto the dough. Compared to the Tuscan schiacciata, Roman white pizza is generally distinguished by its crunchiness, thickness, and the higher quantity of salt used in the dough. The surface is also slightly less oily than schiacciata. However, both doughs contain a lot more water than focaccia does, making it softer – plus, you don’t have to leaven it twice like focaccia.