Crescia (Onion Flavoured Focaccia From Le Marche)
Submitted by Moni
Crescia, an onion-topped focaccia from Le Marche, Italy, with a soft olive oil dough and slowly sauteed onions baked golden on top. A regional Italian flatbread with a velvety crumb.
YIELD
1 loafPREP
90 minCOOK
25 minREADY
120 minCrescia is the Italian Marche region’s answer to focaccia, and the difference is in the details. The dough is enriched with olive oil and kneaded for a full 8 to 10 minutes until soft and velvety, not just elastic. That extended knead develops a smooth, pillowy texture that’s lighter and more tender than a standard pizza-style dough.
While the dough rises, onions sauté slowly in olive oil for 20 minutes over low heat until they’re sweet and golden, then cool to room temperature before going on the dough. Warm onions on raw dough would kill the yeast and leave you with a flat, dense bread.
The dough gets divided into two pieces (one for a round pan, one for a square sheet), rises again until bubbly but not quite doubled, then gets topped with the cooled onions, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt before baking. The partially-risen dough puffs up around the onions in the hot oven, trapping them in a golden, dimpled surface.
Kitchen Tips
- Knead for the full 8 to 10 minutes. This dough needs thorough gluten development for its characteristic velvety texture
- Cool the sautéed onions completely before topping. Hot onions on rising dough kills the yeast
- Let the shaped dough rise until bubbly but not fully doubled. Over-proofed focaccia collapses in the oven
- Preheat the oven for 30 minutes before baking for a strong initial blast of heat
Variations
- Crescia al Rosmarino: substitute finely chopped fresh rosemary for the onions (the recipe’s own suggested variation)
- Add pitted olives pressed into the dough surface alongside the onions
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt instead of fine salt for a crunchier finish
Ingredients
Directions
Stir the yeast into a small bowl and let proof for 10 minutes.
Stir in the rest of the water and oil.
Whisk in 2 cups of the flour and stir until smooth.
Add salt and the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time.
Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and velvety.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.
While the dough is rising, prepare the topping.
Warm the olive oil over low heat and sauté the onions for about 20 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Cut the dough into 2 pieces, one twice as large as the other.
Shape the smaller one to fit an oiled 10 inch round pie plate and the larger one to fit an oiled 10½ X 10½ inch baking sheet.
Cover and let rise for 45 minutes until bubbles appear in the dough but it has not quite doubled.
Heat the oven to 400℉ (200℃) for 30 minutes before baking.
Sprinkle the onions over the dough and drizzle with olive oil and finish with the salt.
Bake for 25 minutes until the onions are golden.
Cool on wire racks.
VARIATION: Crescia al Rosmarino.
Substitute 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary for the onions.
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