Award-winning chef Elise Wiggins and executive chef Zuri Resendiz serve Italian inspired cuisine at Cattivella in Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood. Wiggins adeptly weaves the knowledge gained during her annual visits to Italy into her menu options. Today, she graciously shares her recipe for Focaccia di Recco. She learned how to make this dish during one her trips to Italy.
To learn more read:
Discovering Chef Elise Wiggins Flair for Exemplary Italian Cuisine at Cattivella and Cattivella Recipe: Lo Sfincione, the Original Sicilian-Style Pizza.
I just finished studying with Dario Cecchini, the mad butcher in Panzano, Italy, when he told me I should go to the Town of Recco where the festival celebrating Focaccia di Recco was happening. So I went. This is an ancient dish with an amazing story. Back in the 14th century, the people in the Town of Recco heard that bands of robbers and pillagers were heading to their city. The townspeople grabbed staples— flour, olive oil, Crescenza (young cheese since they weren’t aging back then), water, and cured meat—and then hid in the mountains. They built a fire, made a simple dough of flour, olive oil and water and stretched the dough in a cast iron pan ( they didn’t have other metals back then). Next, they filled it with cheese and cured meat and topped it off with more dough. The pan was placed over the fire and then the dough was flipped to the other side. Voila! An amazing dish that is thin, crispy, and absolutely delicious. If I had been hiding in the mountains that would have been an amazing meal for me. It must have been awesome for them too.
Focaccia di Recco
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 6 min | Servings: Per 2 servings (Scaled)
Ingredients for the Dough:
1lb AP flour
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup water
1lb AP flour
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup water
Directions for the Dough
Place flour in a mixer with a hook.
Turn the mixer on slow. Feed-in olive oil. Allow the ingredients to mix. Slowly pour in water.
Allow the ingredients to work together until dough forms.
Place flour in a mixer with a hook.
Turn the mixer on slow. Feed-in olive oil. Allow the ingredients to mix. Slowly pour in water.
Allow the ingredients to work together until dough forms.
Mix for 8-minutes until dough is smooth.
If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time.
If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time.
If too wet, add a couple of tablespoons of flour until it is completely dry.
Remove and wrap with plastic wrap very well.
The dough must rest at least 2 hours…preferably overnight.
Remove and wrap with plastic wrap very well.
The dough must rest at least 2 hours…preferably overnight.
Ingredients for the Filling
1/2 lb Crescenza cheese
3 ounces shaved prosciutto di parma
1 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin Italian olive oil DOP
Arugula
1/2 dropper of 12- year old balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
Directions for the Filling
Divide the dough into 4 oz equal portions.
Roll out the dough into a round shape and as thin as possible, almost transparent.
Once you have rolled out both pieces of dough, begin assembling the Focaccia di Recco.
Grease a 10-in baking dish with extra virgin olive oil.
Place one layer of dough on the bottom of the dish.
Add the Cresenza cheese in pieces using your hands or a spoon. Top with the shaved prosciutto. Cover with the second sheet of dough.
Use a knife to remove the excess dough from around the edges of the pan. Seal the edges by pinching the dough.
Pinch holes into the top layer of dough above the cheese so that the steam can come out during cooking.
Sprinkle with salt and brush with extra virgin olive oil.
Bake in a very hot oven (400/450°F) for about 5 or 6 minutes, or until golden.
When the focaccia is done, remove it from the oven and let cool.
Cut it into 8 pieces.
Garnish with Arugula that is tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in the middle.
Garnish with a dropper of 12-year-old balsamic vinegar.
Chef’s Tip
A tip when making this is to use warm water to mix with the flour. It helps to create loose protein strands which makes it more stretchy. You want the dough to be thin so it gets crispy.
BIO
When Sandy isn’t trekking or writing in the Colorado, she is traveling. She has visited more than 40 countries and lived as an international teacher in Bangalore, India. Sandy’s award-winning book, May This Be the Best Year of Your Life, is a resource for people contemplating an expat lifestyle and living outside their comfort zone.
Sandy’s lifestyle and travel experiences are frequently shared with international and domestic online sites and print media. She has contributed stories to Hemispheres, Destinations Magazine, KUHL’s Born in the Mountain blog, Grand Magazine, Wandering Educators, Golden Living, AARP, Hadassah magazine, Localliz, One Travel, Miles Away, Canadian Jewish News, Getting On Travel, Far and Wide, Colorado Parent, Traveler Confidential, Family Circle- Momster, and others.
Leave a Reply