Cathy Katin-Grazzini
Cathy’s Kitchen Prescription
www.cathyskitchenprescription.com
 
Schiacchiata Senz’Olio
I used a blend of whole white and red wheat in this deliciously chewy sourdough Schiacciata with its nice open crumb and nutty flavor. Unlike traditional Tuscan Schiacchiatta, however, this one is oil- and salt-free. This fabulous whole grain sourdough flatbread is a delicious accompaniment to savory dishes and fruit alike.
 
Prep 6 to 7 hours   
Bake 15 minutes
Makes two Schiacchiatte, each about 9 by 14 inches
 
200 grams ripe rye sourdough starter 
780 milliliters spring water
700 grams white whole wheat flour 
300 grams red whole wheat flour
13 grams red aka miso
 
Two days before baking, begin to feed your sourdough starter each day so that it is bubbly and very active by in time.
In the morning add 780 milliliters of water to a large mixing bowl. 
Use a Danish dough whisk to incorporate the red and white whole wheat flours, mixing it well. Cover the bowl and set it aside in a warm, draft-free spot for one hour.
Add the starter to the center of the mixing bowl and pull the dough up and over it as you rotate the bowl. Do this until the starter is fully integrated into the dough. 
After 10 minutes dot the surface with the miso paste and stretch and fold the dough up and over the miso again until it is well distributed throughout.
Set the dough aside for an hour. 
Using a clean wet hand, stretch one “corner” of the dough up and over the bowl. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat stretching and folding it over three more times as you rotate the bowl from each direction. The dough will be quite extensible initially but as you stretch and fold it, it will tighten up.  Cover and set aside for an hour.
Repeat this cycle of stretching, folding, and waiting an hour for 4 more cycles over the next 4 hours. If your kitchen is cool, you might need an extra cycle or two.
The dough will be ready for pre-shaping when it is noticeably light, airy, and teaming with life. Large and small bubbles will be visible under its surface. If the dough is not yet ready, continue stretching and folding and waiting until it is.
Line two rimless baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside for now.
Spritz a large cutting board with spring water. Slide a wet plastic curved bowl scraper around the perimeter of the bowl and gently slide the dough onto the surface. With clean wet hands, pat it lightly into a circle. With a wet bench scraper or a knife, divide the disk evenly in half.
Rewet the bench scraper and slide it under a side of the first dough disk to lift it up an inch. Then using wet hands stretch and fold that side of dough over the middle. Wetting your hands each time, stretch and fold the dough on the remaining three sides. 
Wet your hands again and gently flip the dough over. Now, with wet fingers laced together starting on the far side of the dough, gently pull the dough towards you a couple of inches. Rotate the board 90° and repeat. This gentle method will create surface tension and tighten the outer dough layers without damaging its fragile interior structure. Keep rotating and pulling the dough on the board towards you until the dough has formed a round boule shape. 
Cover the dough with a bowl. Repeat Steps 11 through 13 with the second dough disk.  
Allow each round dough mound to rest for 20 minutes.
Repeat Steps 11 through 13 one more time for each dough mound.
Then, with wet hands transfer the first mound of dough to a baking tray. Pat and gently prod the dough to form a rectangle that is ½-inch tall, measuring about 9 by 14 inches.  Transfer the second mound of dough to the second baking sheet and shape it into a rectangle. 
If you have a large pizza stone, lay it on the middle oven rack now. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
The unbaked Schiacciate will be too sticky to cover with wrap. To prevent drying or developing a crust, lightly spritz them with water every 20 minutes as they rise and puff one final time before baking, about 60 to 90 minutes. 
With very wet fingertips make indentations over the surfaces of each Schiacciata, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges.
Insert the baking sheet(s) and bake for 12 minutes or until the dough has set, then remove each tray from the oven, keeping the oven closed to retain its heat.
Gently flip over each flatbread in turn onto a pizza peel and peel off the parchment. Insert the peel with the Schiacciata upside-down in the oven directly and transfer each bread in turn onto the large baking stone or onto the oven rack, if you lack a baking stone. 
Bake for 2 minutes, before flipping each Schiacciata over to lightly brown the top for a final 2 minutes. The Schiacchiate is ready when they are golden and lightly toasted and make a hollow sound when knocked on the bottom of the dough.
Transfer each bread when it is ready to a cooling rack.
Allow the Schiacchiatte to cool before slicing and serving for the best texture.