Scaccia (pl.:scacce),scacciata orschiacciata is aSicilian stuffedflatbread.Scaccia is made with a very thin rectangular layer ofdough, folded on itself three or four times. It can be stuffed with different ingredients, the more common variations arericotta cheese andonion, cheese andtomato, tomato and onion, or tomato andeggplant, depending on location, taste, or season. It is baked and can be eaten hot or cold.Scacciata derives from theSicilian word meaning to drive away, equivalent to theItalian wordschiacciata, meaning 'to crush' or 'to flatten'.Scaccia can be found inRagusa andSiracusa,[1][2][3][4][5] as well as someSicilian American communities (namely Middletown, Connecticut).[6][7][8]
Scaccia appeared at the end of the seventeenth century and was a staple ofpeasant tables. In Sicily, the recipe was handed down and expanded according to the culinary voices of the time. In the rural tables of theKingdom of Sicily and thenKingdom of the Two Sicilies, this simple recipe was developed based on bread, vegetables and meat, often utilizing the leftovers of a hearty dinner or a recurring lunch.
Oltremodo appeared on Sicilian tables at the beginning of the 18th century with the recipe based on vegetables and potatoes. It achieved its success when Moncada himself, prince of Paternò, in 1763, wanted it on his table during theChristmas celebrations.
Since then, tradition has placed it as a Christmas favorite with a recipe handed down for generations. To date, thescaccia has a wide diffusion in the Sicilian territory and a significant artisanal marketing.[9]
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