“Friday means market day” – that’s how my mother greets me every week. And indeed, Friday is the true feast of the market. I usually head to Florence’s Le Cure market every other day, where I always meet Sarah and Roberto. I’ve written about them before in the Tuscan Olive Garden Lifestyle magazine: I love their stories, their kindness, and, of course, their recipe ideas that always follow the rhythm of the seasons.
September is harvest time. I may be a city girl without a vineyard of my own, but when the black grapes ripen, it means only one thing: the season of schiacciata con l’uva, Tuscany’s beloved grape focaccia, has arrived.
For years, I used to buy a few slices from the bakery, but since discovering Sarah and Roberto’s market stall, I’ve started baking it myself. At first, I found the crunch of the grape seeds odd, but then Roberto introduced me to the Canaiolo grape – the very variety blended with Sangiovese to make Chianti wine. Slowly, I grew to love the unique balance of sweet, salty, and slightly bitter flavors that the seeds, juice, and bread create together.
The origins of this rustic focaccia go back to Tuscan farmhouses, where leftover grapes from the harvest were baked into bread dough, often in the fireplace under glowing embers. The fragrance of warm bread and juicy grapes would fill every room, marking the rhythm of autumn days.
Two years ago, Roberto sighed that he hadn’t tasted a truly good schiacciata in ages. That became my mission. I experimented with recipes, bringing slices for Sarah and Roberto to try, but none were quite right. Then, a year ago, my pharmacist D.ssa PEDACE told me her 92-year-old mother still baked it the traditional way. That recipe became my turning point.
At first, I painstakingly removed all the seeds, but with time I learned to appreciate them: the earthy bitterness, the burst of grape juice that soaks into the dough, and the surprising crunch that makes each bite more authentic. Now I can’t imagine the schiacciata without them.
The beauty of this focaccia is that it tastes even better the next day, when the grape must has infused the dough with deep, almost anise-like aromas. Fresh from the oven it’s delightful, but give it a night to rest, and you’ll taste the very soul of Tuscan autumn.
If you ever visit Tuscany in September, don’t miss the chance to make or taste schiacciata con l’uva – because once the grapes are gone from the market stalls, you’ll have to wait another year.
Recipe – Schiacciata con l’Uva (Tuscan Grape Focaccia)
Ingredients
- 400 g flour
- 20 g fresh yeast
- extra virgin olive oil
- 200 ml water (approx.)
- 2 bunches of black grapes (Canaiolo or similar)
- 150 g sugar
Instructions
- Place the flour on a board or in a bowl and make a well in the center.
- Dissolve the yeast in a little lukewarm water, pour it into the well with some olive oil.
- Mix by hand, adding water gradually, until a soft, elastic dough forms.
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1.5 hours until doubled.
- Knead again with a drizzle of oil, then let rise for another hour.
- Divide the dough in two. Roll out one part and place it in a greased 30 cm round pan.
- Spread half the grapes on top, sprinkle with half the sugar.
- Roll out the second dough piece, cover the grapes, and seal the edges.
- Press the remaining grapes into the top, sprinkle with the rest of the sugar, and drizzle with olive oil.
- Let rise one last hour, then bake at 190°C (375°F) for 40–45 minutes, until golden and glossy.
Serving tip: enjoy warm, cold, or best of all the next day, when the grape must has seeped into the bread.
✨ A bite of schiacciata con l’uva is more than just dessert – it’s the taste of Tuscan harvest, the fragrance of village kitchens, and a seasonal treasure that makes September unforgettable.