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The Sandwich 100 · make it at home

Florentine schiacciata sandwich (All'Antico Vinaio style)

3 1/2 hr (40 min hands-on) · One tray, 6 big sandwiches

Florence's sandwich bread is schiacciata: a salty, olive-oily flatbread, crisp on top and soft inside, split and stuffed. Bake it yourself and fill it the Vinaio way, with salami, pecorino cream, artichoke cream and spicy eggplant.

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You need

• For the schiacciata: 500 g (4 cups) bread flour, 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) lukewarm water, 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast, 10 g (2 tsp) fine salt, 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, plus more
• For the brine on top: 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp water, 1 tsp coarse salt, plus flaky salt
• Fillings for 6: 300 g (10 oz) finocchiona or sbriciolona salami, thinly sliced; 6 tbsp pecorino cream (or ricotta beaten with grated pecorino); 6 tbsp artichoke cream (or blended marinated artichokes); 6 tbsp spicy grilled eggplant in oil, chopped

How to make it

1. Make the dough (10 min, then 1 1/2 hr): Mix the flour, yeast and water until shaggy, rest 10 minutes, then add the salt and 2 tbsp oil and knead 5 minutes until smooth and sticky. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Pan it (5 min, then 45 min): Pour 2 tbsp oil into a 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in) tray. Tip in the dough and stretch it gently toward the corners; when it springs back, wait 10 minutes and stretch again. Cover and rise 45 minutes until puffy.
3. Dimple and brine (5 min): Heat the oven to 230 C (450 F). Whisk the oil, water and coarse salt. Press deep dimples all over the dough with oiled fingers and pour the brine over so it pools.
4. Bake (20 to 25 min): Bake on the lowest rack until deep golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with a little more oil, sprinkle flaky salt, and cool 15 minutes on a rack.
5. Fill: Cut into 6 rectangles and split each like a book. Spread one side with pecorino cream and the other with artichoke cream, add eggplant, and pile in the salami loosely. Press and eat.

Tips

• Day-old schiacciata is perfect for sandwiches; warm it 3 minutes in the oven first.
• The brine is what makes the salty, crackly top Florentines love.

Chef Amazing's own home version, in our words; not any shop's recipe.