Culinary Explorer
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Schiacciata with Finocchiona
Created by Chef Graziella
The sandwich of Florentine markets, where excellent bread and fennel-scented salami require nothing more than each other and a drizzle of oil. Two ingredients. No cooking. No compromise.
In Florence, the schiacciata con finocchiona is not a recipe. It is an institution. Workers grab it from the salumeria at noon. Students eat it walking between classes. Tourists discover it and wonder why they have been eating such complicated sandwiches their entire lives.
The bread is everything. Schiacciata is Tuscany's answer to focaccia: flatter, crispier, brushed with olive oil, sometimes scattered with coarse salt. It must shatter when you bite it, then give way to a soft, open crumb. Bad bread cannot be rescued by any filling.
Finocchiona is the salami of Tuscany, perfumed with wild fennel seeds that grow along every roadside in the region. Young finocchiona is soft, almost spreadable, with a sweet anise perfume. Aged finocchiona is firmer, more concentrated. Both work here. What does not work is heating it. Italians do not grill quality cured meats. The fat should melt on your tongue, not in a pan.
Ingredients
schiacciata
Quantity
1 (about 10 by 14 inches)
finocchiona
Quantity
8 ounces
sliced thin
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
for drizzling
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| schiacciata | 1 (about 10 by 14 inches) |
| finocchionasliced thin | 8 ounces |
| extra virgin olive oil | for drizzling |
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