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X Italian Breads and Pizzas
scanata
Scanata (Bread and/or Pizza Dough, Southern Italian style, without potatoes, Version II)
Originated from: Casacalenda, Molise, Italy
Occasion: Any time of the year
Contributed by: Mary Melfi (her Zia Rosina's recipe)

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Ingredients

Pizza Dough and/or Scanata (Sometimes spelled Scanat', Chenate, Schenate and Schanato)

6 cups flour
3 cups warm water
1 packet dry quick-rise yeast (or 1 tablespoon of yeast)
1 tablespoon of salt

Vegetable oil for greasing dough
Crisco or Tenderflake for greasing pan



Directions

Follow package direction to activate yeast.

Mix all the ingredients and work into a fine dough.

When the dough is soft and smooth, shape it into a ball. Smear the surface with a touch of oil.

Place the dough in a container with a lid, and cover it with a towel or a blanket.

Let the dough rest for about two hours (or until it has "risen").

After the dough has risen, divide it into two portions.

Grease the divided portions and place them on a wooden board. Let them rest for 20 minutes.



Place the rested dough in a pizza pan.

Cook in a 400 degree F oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.






Notes

Apparently, in Casacalenda, the dough used to make "red" pizza or tomato-based pizza was the same as the one used to make "white" pizza -- "scanata" (tomato-free pizza). In fact, the same dough was used to make bread. While some cooks used boiled potatoes to make their dough did not. "White pizza" also known as "focaccia" was eaten like bread -- meaning it was topped with all kinds of things (but after it was baked, not prior to it being baked!). As "scanata" is made without any toppings -- the dough is the thing (So it better be "just right"). As previously noted, after the "scanata" is baked it can, of course, be topped with cheese, olives, cold cuts or better still, roasted peppers with garlic and parsley.... The photo was taken by this contributor (Mary Melfi), but luckily for everyone involved the "scanata" in the photo was made by the contributor's aunt, Zia Rosina, so it tasted very good (unlike the one which Mary Melfi might have made).

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