Coca de Recapte

La storia di questo piatto

La Coca de Recapte è la voce più antica della Catalogna che parla ancora — terra bruciata dal sole di Tarragona, vento salato che sale dalle coste del Mediterrano, contadini e pescatori seduti allo stesso tavolo da secoli, uniti da questo pane piatto che racconta di confini dissolti tra mare e entroterra.

Ingredienti

• 500 g Soft wheat flour
• 320 ml Warm water
• 5 g Sourdough starter or active dry yeast
• 10 g Salt
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium Eggplant
• 2 pieces Red bell pepper
• 1 piece Yellow bell pepper
• 1 medium Red onion
• 1 medium Zucchini
• 40 g Sun-dried tomatoes
• 120 ml Sofregit (Catalan soffritto)
• 12 pieces Anchovy fillets
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 15 g Fresh parsley
• 2 g Ground black pepper

Preparazione

1. Begin by putting the flour, warm water, yeast, and salt into a large bowl, and stir with your hands until you no longer see any lumps. Then turn everything out onto your work surface and knead with vigor for 10 minutes, adding the oil little by little as you work: you'll feel the dough transform under your hands, becoming progressively smoother and silkier. It's ready when it no longer sticks to your fingers and, when you stretch it gently with both hands, it elongates without tearing.
2. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth, not plastic wrap, so the dough can breathe and won't dry out on the surface. Place it in a warm corner of your kitchen, away from any drafts, and let it rest undisturbed for 60 to 90 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it has doubled in volume and, when you press your finger into the surface, the indentation stays there without immediately bouncing back.
3. While the dough is rising, turn your attention to the vegetables: cut the eggplant, peppers, onion, and zucchini into pieces that aren't too uniform in size, because it's precisely their rustic irregularity that gives the dish its character. Spread them on a baking sheet, brush them generously with oil, salt them, and roast at 220°C: use two sheets if necessary so the vegetables aren't crowded together and can roast properly instead of steaming in their own moisture. They're done when the edges have darkened slightly and a fork passes through them without resistance.
4. For the soffritto, warm a thin stream of oil in a pan and gently sauté the minced garlic over low heat, stirring frequently: it should only become fragrant and turn pale golden, never brown, otherwise it becomes bitter and ruins everything. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and let them infuse their flavor for 5 minutes over gentle heat, then combine with the roasted vegetables, mixing gently and tasting to adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Generously oil a rectangular baking sheet with a thin stream of oil spread with your hands, then stretch out the risen dough using your fingers, pressing from the center outward until it reaches an even thickness of 1.5 to 2 centimeters. Let it rest covered for 15 minutes: it will relax and won't shrink back when you need to stretch it all the way into the corners.
6. Distribute the vegetable and soffritto mixture across the entire focaccia, pressing gently with your hands so the toppings nestle well into the dough without tearing it. Arrange the anchovy fillets in a radial pattern across the surface: beyond being visually striking, they'll melt during baking and impart their salty richness to every bite.
7. Bake at 200°C for 20 to 25 minutes, without opening the oven door in the first few minutes because the dough needs consistent heat to rise properly. It's ready when the base is golden and crispy, and when you lift it with a spatula it feels firm and doesn't give. Remove it from the oven, finish with a drizzle of raw extra-virgin olive oil and a handful of freshly chopped parsley: the aroma will perfume your entire kitchen.