January 2021

To achieve the texture we found in Bari, Italy, the dough must be wet — so wet, in fact, it verges on a thick yet pourable batter. Resist the temptation to add more flour. Shaping such a sticky, high-hydration dough by hand is impossible. Instead, the dough is gently poured and scraped into the oiled baking pan; gravity settles it into an even layer.

If you have trouble finding Castelvetrano olives, substitute any large, meaty green olive.

One of our favorite variations of flatbread originated in Romagna, in northern Italy. There they throw together flour, salt, water or milk, and lard or olive oil to make a quick dough. After a short rest, the flatbread — a piadina — is cooked on a griddle or skillet. The cooked flatbreads then are stuffed with sweet or savory fillings and folded to make a sandwich.