We only have 9 more days of Giro d’Italia before the grand finale. With Stage 13 taking place in Turin today, we’ve put together 3 Italian favourites to whip up and snack on whilst you shout at the TV and watch your favourite riders inch closer to Verona and the finish line.
From Schiacciata to Supplì al telefono, all these mouthwatering spuntino (Italian snack) recipes from Great Italian Chefs are sure to make you feel like you’re in the heart of the Italian action.
The Simple but Satisfying One: Schiacciata with Cherry Tomatoes
Schiacciata is a bread traditionally made in Tuscany and Umbria. This recipe from Manuela Zangara can easily be made at home and is best served just after it has been baked.
Ingredients
Schiacciata Dough
- 400g of plain flour
- 40g of lard, or extra virgin olive oil
- 12g of salt
- 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 220g of water, lukewarm
- 1 tbsp of sugar
Topping
- cherry tomatoes 20–25, halved
- 1/2 tbsp of dried oregano
- 2 tbsp of water, lukewarm
- extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- salt
Recipe Method
- To begin, mix the yeast, sugar and lukewarm water and keep aside to activate
- When frothy, put it in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Add the flour, salt and lard and knead well until you get a smooth dough. If you don’t have an electric mixer, knead the dough by hand
- Make the dough into a ball, cover it and leave to rise for at least 1 hour, or until doubled in volume
- In the meantime, grease 2 24cm round tins with some extra virgin olive oil. When the dough has doubled in volume, divide it in the 2 tins and press it down. Leave to rest for 30 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
- Push the halved cherry tomatoes down onto the schiacciata. Drizzle with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and a little lukewarm water
- Sprinkle some salt and the dry oregano on the top and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown
- You can serve this schiacciata lukewarm or at room temperature, it is best eaten the same day you make it. Alternatively, you can freeze it, thaw it and then warm it up in the oven just before serving it
The Healthy One: Farinata – Chickpea and Rosemary Pancake (GF + VG)
Also known as socca or cecina, this pancake recipe hails from Liguria and is made from a simple batter of chickpea flour (gram flour), water and olive oil. This recipe makes two medium pancakes and is flavoured with rosemary, however recipes can vary – red onion is another common topping. This dish is also completely gluten-free and vegan!
Ingredients
- 150g of chickpea (gram) flour
- 330ml of water
- 45ml of olive oil, plus a splash more for cooking
- 2 tbsp of chopped rosemary
- salt
- pepper
Recipe Method
- Whisk together the flour, water and oil then cover and leave to rest for at least 1 hour (you could leave the batter to rest overnight if needed)
- When ready to cook, whisk to combine again as the flour maybe have settled at the bottom. Stir in the salt, pepper and rosemary
- Preheat the grill and place an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat with a dash of oil. Pour in the batter and swirl around; it should be a little thicker than a pancake, around 5mm
- After a minute or so, transfer to the grill until you achieve a nice golden colour on top and the edges are starting to crisp and come away from the sides of the pan. Serve warm
The Indulgent One: Supplì al telefono
Recreate one of Rome's staple street foods at home. These little croquettes are filled with rice, beef and stringy mozzarella cheese, which provides the 'al telefono' part of the name – locals say that, when the supplì are split and pulled apart, the thin cord of mozzarella resembles a telephone line.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 150g of beef mince
- 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
- 100ml of red wine
- 400g of passata
- 200g of risotto rice
- 200ml of beef stock
- 1 knob of butter
- 10g of Parmesan, grated
- 125g of buffalo mozzarella
- 1 egg
- 50g of flour
- 100g of breadcrumbs
- olive oil
Recipe Method
- To begin, sauté the onions and garlic in a glug of olive oil until soft. Add the mince and thyme leaves and cook until the mince is nicely browned
- Add the red wine and reduce by half. Next, add the passata and leave to simmer for 20 minutes
- Add the risotto rice and cook until it has absorbed most of the passata. After this time, add a couple of splashes of beef stock and again wait for the rice to absorb the liquid. Repeat the process, adding a small amount at a time, until the rice is almost ready but a little undercooked. Remove from the heat
- Stir in the butter and grated Parmesan, then spread over a cling film-lined tray to allow the rice to cool quickly. Chill in the fridge overnight or until completely cold and set
- Tear the mozzarella into 12 even strips and, using a knife, cut the set rice into 12 even portions
- Take one of the portions of rice, lay it flat in your hand, and place the mozzarella in the centre. Roll the rice and around until you have a nice neat cylinder. Place on a clean plate and repeat to form the remaining supplì
- Preheat a deep-fryer or deep pan of oil to 180°C
- Prepare a bowl of whisked egg, a plate of flour and a tray of breadcrumbs. One-by-one, roll the supplì in the flour, then the egg, and finally coat in the breadcrumbs
- Deep-fry the supplì in batches until golden, then drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot to ensure a nice gooey cheese centre
