Schiacciata alla fiorentina
This is a Tuscan recipe made exclusively in Florence Italy; as many Tuscan recipes, it is very simple and fast, just make sure to use high quality ingredients and you won’t be disappointed at all. In all of Tuscany (in Florence too), the word schiacciata means something similar to bread, just low (schiacciata means pressed), with salt and a lot of extravergine olive oil. This can ingenerate some confusion, because the schiacciata alla fiorentina is instead a typical Florentine dessert, very simple, that you can find in bakeries especially during January/February (Carnival time). If you don’t plan a trip to Florence for January/February, you can still cook this Florentine cake at home: it’s great for breakfast!
Schiacciata alla fiorentina Recipe
Quantities are for a pan aproximately 9 x 7 inches. It’s important that you follow the correct order in adding the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- sugar 175 g
- all-purpose flour 150 g
- extravergine olive oil 4 tablespoons
- milk 7 tablespoons
- 1 orange
- baking powder 15 g
- icing sugar
- a small piece of butter (for the pan)
- preheat your oven to 392° F (that’s 200°C)
- whip the eggs with sugar with a hand mixer until you obtain a batter which is as white as possible
- add oil and continue to mix
- add milk and continue to mix
- grate the orange peel and add it to the mix
- add the orange juice (filtered with a strainer)
- add the flour (pass it through a sieve)
- finally, add the baking powder
- stop mixing and add the batter to the buttered pan
- cook for 20 minutes
- after 20, check the cake with a toothpick in the center: if it comes out wet, the cake is not yet ready, try every 5 minutes (20/25 should do it but depends on your oven)
- let the cake cool for 30 minutes
- flip the pan and let the cake come out
- decorate the cake with icing sugar (you can cover the cake with a piece of paper, cut to represent a logo, like the Florentine lily in my picture)
There’s versions of this cake filled with whipped cream, custard or even jam. I prefer it as is, simple, immersed in a cup of milk. Amaze your guests with this simple, yet tasty cake: schiacciata alla fiorentina!
Betty dinella says
Have made this cake twice. First time having only buttered the pan had a tOugh time getting it out. Second time i buttered and fLoured the pan. Cake came out much better. Both times the cake had a bitterness in the taste. Is that normal? It seems that the bitterness is in the edge/crust. Thanks for your help.