Serves 6

Torta Rustica Genovese originated in the Italian Riviera.This version is from Maurizio’s family. It is much like a pizza dough with the addition of semolina flour.

 
Rustica Genovese
300 grams/ 10 ounces all-purpose flour
200 grams/ 7 ounces semolina flour
20 grams/ 1 tablespoon active dry yeast,  dissolved in
125ml/ 4 ounces warm water
30 ml/ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 grams/ ½ tablespoon salt
fresh ground pepper
200 grams/ 6 ounces anchovies
200 grams/ 6 ounces oil cured black olives, unpitted
440 grams/ ¾ pound ripe cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 large red onion, sliced thinly
15 grams/ 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
2 small chilies, minced


25 x 35 centimeter rectangular ovenproof dish

To make the dough:

         After the yeast has dissolved, let it stand about 10 minutes. Sift together the all-purpose flour and the semolina flour. Combine the yeast and one cup of the flour in a bowl, mixing them together thoroughly. Then add two tablespoons olive oil, salt, ½ cup water, and half of the remaining flour. Mix thoroughly until the dough feels soft and no longer sticks to the hands. Put in the remaining flour and ½ cup of water and mix thoroughly once again. When adding the flour and water this last time, hold back some of both adding only enough of each to make the dough soft and manageable and not too sticky.

         Take the dough out of the bowl and slap it down very hard several times until it is stretched out lengthwise. Reach for the far end of the dough and fold it a short distance towards you, push it away with the heel of your hand, flexing your wrist, fold it, push it away again, gradually rolling it up and bringing it close to you. It will have a tapered roll like shape. Pick-up the dough by one end and raise it high above the counter, then slap it down again several times, stretching it out lengthwise. Then repeat process of folding and pushing the dough with the heel of your palm. Work the dough in this manner for 10 minutes. Then form the dough into a round shape.

            Brush olive oil over the bottom and sides of the baking pan. Place the dough in the baking dish and stretch it out, pushing it into the corners of the dish, until it covers the dish and is about ¼ inch deep. With very stiff fingers, push deep holes into the dough, covering the entire surface. Then push pieces of garlic, tomato and anchovy into the holes, arrange the red onion over the dough and sprinkle with the oregano and chili. Cover with the towel and let rest for about 1 ½ hours. Cook in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 35-40 minutes. Let cool and slice into bite-size pieces.

Baan Rim Pa
Otowa Japanese
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