History

Schiacciata all'olio is Tuscany's answer to focaccia, baked daily in Florentine bakeries (forni) since at least the medieval era. The defining technique is the schiacciatura (the squash): bakers press the dough flat with the heel of the hand, leaving deep pocks that catch pools of olive oil. The result is thinner and crisper than Ligurian focaccia, with a pillowy interior and a salt-crackled crust. Forno Pugi (1948), Pasticceria Buonamici and Pasticceria Gualtieri keep the format alive; it's sold all'olio (salt and oil), all'uva (with grapes in autumn), or as schiacciata farcita (split and stuffed for sandwiches at All'Antico Vinaio).

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Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 30Hands-on 30 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g strong bread flour (00 or 0 grade for the Florentine version)
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 7g instant yeast (or 15g fresh)
  • 320ml warm water
  • 60ml extra-virgin olive oil (the best Tuscan you can find)
  • For the top: 80ml extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp flaky sea salt; optional: 1 tsp dried rosemary

Method

  1. Whisk flour, salt and yeast in a stand mixer. Add water and 60ml olive oil. Mix on low for 8 minutes to a smooth elastic dough.
  2. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. If too dry, add 1 tbsp water; too wet, 1 tbsp flour.
  3. Cover; rise at room temperature 2 hours until doubled.
  4. Oil a 30x40cm baking sheet with 1 tbsp olive oil.
  5. Tip the dough onto the sheet. Press with oiled fingertips to stretch it to the edges; pull gently to fill the corners.
  6. Rest 30 minutes (the dough relaxes; if it springs back, rest longer).
  7. Press your fingertips deep into the dough, going almost to the bottom, leaving deep pocks across the entire surface; this is the schiacciatura.
  8. Drizzle 50ml of the top olive oil over the surface; it should pool in the pocks.
  9. Scatter flaky sea salt evenly. Add rosemary if using.
  10. Rest 30 more minutes while the oven heats to 220C (200C fan).
  11. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until deep golden and the pocks are crackled and crisp.
  12. Drizzle the remaining 30ml olive oil over the hot schiacciata while it's still on the tray. Cool 10 minutes; slice into squares with kitchen shears.

Tip from the editors. Use the best Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil you can afford; the bread is mostly a vehicle for the oil, so industrial oil gives industrial schiacciata.

Where to eat schiacciata all'olio

Schiacciata all'olio in Florence

Forno Pugi ★ 4.5

€ PizzeriaSanta Croce

Forno Pugi in Florence has been the neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops baking pizza al taglio, schiacciata, focaccia and the Florentine.

OrderPizza al taglio (the chocolate-cream schiacciata fiorentina in Carnevale), focaccia stuffed.

TipCounter only; cash and card. Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo.

Directions

All'Antico Vinaio ★ 4.4

€ ItalianCentro Storico

All'Antico Vinaio in Florence's Via dei Neri is the schiacciata-counter chain with four shops on the same street, with the 30cm stuffed flatbread for €8.

OrderLa Favolosa schiacciata (porchetta, pecorino, artichoke cream).

TipFour shops on Via dei Neri; the 65r is the original. Eat on the steps of Santa Croce.

Directions

Pasticceria Buonamici ★ 4.2

€ BakeryFlorentine pastries, cantucciSanta Maria NovellaWalk-in only

Pasticceria Buonamici in Florence's Santa Maria Novella has run a family-owned pasticceria since 1971, with the daily cantucci, the schiacciata con l'uva.

OrderCantucci con mandorle, schiacciata con l'uva in autumn, the chocolate panforte.

TipClosed Monday; cash only on small purchases. Cantucci ship vacuum-packed.

Directions

Pasticceria Gualtieri ★ 4.1

€ BakeryPastries, pralinesSanta CroceWalk-in only

Pasticceria Gualtieri in Florence's southern Oltrarno corner has run as a family pasticceria since 1937, with the bignoletti cream pastries.

OrderBignoletti panna (cream-filled choux), the schiacciata alla fiorentina in Carnevale, chocolate pralines.

TipClosed Monday. Standing-room counter; bignoletti sell out by 11:00 on weekends.

Directions

Cantinetta da Verrazzano ★ 4.3

€ Street foodCentro Storico

Cantinetta da Verrazzano in Florence's Via dei Tavolini runs a stand-up schiacciata counter alongside the wine bar, with wood-fired bread stuffed-to-order.

OrderSchiacciata calda con prosciutto e stracchino, focaccia, a glass of Verrazzano Chianti.

TipClosed Sunday.

Directions

Mercato Centrale ★ 4.6

€ MarketSan Lorenzo

Mercato Centrale in Florence's San Lorenzo is the city's main covered market in a 1874 cast-iron Giuseppe Mengoni building, with butcher and produce stalls.

OrderLampredotto panino from Da Nerbone, fresh pici from il Tartufo, salumi from Cocco.

TipGround floor closes 14:00 Mon-Sat (closed Sunday). The first-floor food hall is open daily until midnight.

Directions

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