Source: “Il libro della vera cucina fiorentina”, Paolo Petroni
Among the preparations that best express the bond between territory, seasonality, and culinary culture, grape schiacciata holds a special place. In the Chianti area, where it is known as “panello con l’uva”, this specialty is deeply rooted in peasant tradition and the subsistence economy that shaped Tuscan rural communities. Its origin does not lie in refined pastry-making, but rather in the clever reuse of leftover bread dough from the daily work of local ovens.
The neutral dough was enriched with black grapes harvested during the grape harvest, creating a dessert that was both simple and surprising. The presence of grape seeds, far from being considered a flaw, added a pleasantly bitter and crunchy note that balanced the sweetness of the fruit, resulting in a harmonious and complex flavor. It was not conceived as a rich dessert, but rather as a product deeply tied to the cycle of the seasons and to the principle of “nothing goes to waste” that defines traditional cuisine.
Over the course of the 20th century, with the arrival of new eating habits and the influence of modern pastry-making, grape schiacciata underwent numerous variations: softer doughs, sometimes enriched with sugar and oil, and even versions resembling sweet focaccia or brioche.
Yet, from a historical and gastronomic perspective, the original recipe preserves the true soul of “panello con l’uva”: a dessert that not only delights the palate but also tells the intimate story of the relationship between people, the land, and the fruits of the season.
Ricetta Schiacciata con l'uva
Serves 8:
– leavened bread dough: 500 g
– sugar: 200 g
– black grapes (Canaiolo): 1 kg
– olive oil
Preparation:
Work the bread dough with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 50 g of sugar.
On a floured surface, roll out half of the dough quite thin, shaping it to fit the baking pan, which should be rectangular or square.
Grease the pan lightly with oil and line it with the dough. Sprinkle with about 700 g of washed and dried grapes, 4 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of oil.
Roll out the remaining dough to create a second layer, then cover with the remaining grapes and sugar.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil and bake in a hot oven (180°C / 350°F) for about 50 minutes.
If you don’t have ready leavened bread dough, prepare it as follows: in a bowl, slowly dissolve 25 g of fresh yeast in a small amount of lukewarm water (about half a glass). Gradually add 400 g of flour, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 tablespoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly. Knead well and let rise for about an hour in a slightly warmed but completely turned-off oven.
