Home

Pumpkin Focaccine in the Pan

17/11/2023

Pumpkin focaccine in the pan are a delicious and relatively simple dish to prepare. Perfect for fall or to use pumpkin in a different way than usual. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 300 g of cleaned pumpkin
  • 250 g of flour (plus some for rolling out the focaccine)
  • 7 g of fresh baker’s yeast or 2 g of dry baker’s yeast
  • 80 ml of warm water
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil (to grease your hands and for cooking in the pan)
  • Chopped fresh or dried rosemary (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by cutting the pumpkin into pieces and steam or bake it until it’s tender. Then mash it with a fork or blend it into a puree to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

  2. In a small bowl, activate the yeast by dissolving it in the warm water with the sugar. Let it rest for about 10 minutes until it begins to bubble.

  3. In a larger bowl, pour sifted flour and make a well in the center. Add the pumpkin puree and activated yeast and start to knead.

  4. Add the salt and continue to knead until a soft and elastic dough is formed. If necessary, add a little water or flour to achieve the right consistency.

  5. Lightly oil the dough with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm, draught-free place until it has doubled in volume, about 1-2 hours.

  6. Take the risen dough and deflate it gently, then divide it into pieces of about 50-60 grams each. Form balls and let them rest again for a few minutes.

  7. Dust the work surface with flour and flatten each ball into a focaccina about 1-1.5 cm thick. If desired, sprinkle the surface with chopped rosemary for added flavor.

  8. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and, once hot, cook the focaccine for about 4-5 minutes per side, until they are golden and puffy.

  9. Serve warm as an accompaniment to cheeses, cold cuts, or simply drizzled with a thread of extra virgin olive oil.

Curiosity

Pumpkin focaccine can vary in many regions of Italy where pumpkin is a rather common ingredient in autumnal cuisine. In some versions, the focaccine can also be enriched with ingredients such as grated Parmesan or aromatic herbs for a more decisive flavor.