Feast cookalong: Fugazzeta

Alix Clark is the editor of SBS food magazine Feast. In this regular series, she will choose a different dish from Feast magazine and recreate it in her own kitchen:

Summer has arrived and one of the many benefits of the warmer weather (along with sunny morning walks, midday swims and languid evenings listening to the cicadas) is that dough rises in about half the time. Which made a recent weekend the perfect time for fugazzeta (Feast Issue 3, page 54) – the Argentinian take on Italian focaccia. 

The dough was quick and simple to make – I was a little worried that my yeast was stale but with a bit of patience (well, exactly as long as the recipe said), it frothed up nicely. Making dough is a hands-on experience and this one was no exception – there was a smooth transition from sticky to smooth and then it was into a bowl and left to its own devices. Given the heat of the day, within an hour the dough was double its original size – excellent news as it meant we could eat it sooner! There was a small hiccup when I realised that I had lent my pizza pan to my sister, so had to make do with a rectangular tin, but with enough melted cheese I didn’t care what shape it was.

Mr Ed thinks caramelised onions are delicious enough to eat on their own, so when I put them on top of pile of cheese (I could only find dolce provolone, not picante) and a bread crust, he was in heaven. We enjoyed our fugazzeta with a salad (oh, who am I kidding – he didn’t touch the salad!) for dinner but this would also be lovely cut into slivers and served with drinks. 

Fugazzeta

Ingredients

• 7g sachet dried yeast
• 225g (1½ cups) baker’s flour*
• 80ml (⅓ cup) olive oil, plus extra, to grease
• 600g (about 3 large) onions, thinly sliced
• 150g mozzarella, grated
• 150g provolone*, grated
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 green olives, pitted
• ¼ tsp salt, plus extra to season

Preparation

• To make dough, combine yeast and 125ml (½ cup) lukewarm water in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes or until mixture bubbles
• Combine flour and ¼ tsp salt in a large bowl, stir to combine, then make a well in the centre.
• Pour yeast mixture and 2 tbs oil into the well. Gradually incorporate flour until dough comes together
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. (You can also do this using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.)
• Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 2 hours or until dough doubles in size
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbs oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook onions, stirring, for 2 minutes or until just softened. Season with salt, transfer to a bowl and cool completely
• Preheat oven to 250°C. Lightly grease a 31cm pizza pan, then gently and evenly stretch dough to cover the base, creating a higher ‘lip’ at the edge. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, then set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes to rest
• Combine cheeses in a bowl, then scatter over base. Top with onions, sprinkle with oregano and scatter over olives
• Bake for 20 minutes or until base is golden and cooked through, and cheese is melted

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If you'd like to try some authentic Fugazetta for yourself, why not take a trip to Argentina? Whether it's a small group tour or a self-guided walking tour, you'll sample the best of what this country has to offer. 

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