Pitta Calabrese

Name: Pitta Calabrese
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 300 g tipo 0 bread flour; 200 g semola rimacinata; 325 ml lukewarm water; 7 g dried active yeast; 10 g Fine sea salt; 15 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 5 g Honey

Pitta Calabrese is a traditional ring-shaped crusty flatbread from Catanzaro, featuring a crisp, blistered exterior, tender crumb, and large central hole.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 485 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

300 g tipo 0 bread flour — strong white wheat flour
200 g semola rimacinata — re-milled durum wheat semolina
325 ml lukewarm water — around 30°C
7 g dried active yeast — one standard sachet
10 g Fine sea salt — dissolves evenly
15 ml Extra virgin olive oil — plus extra for greasing
5 g Honey — or barley malt syrup

Equipment

•Large mixing bowl
•Baking sheet
•Baking parchment
•Wire rack
•Kitchen scale

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 485 kcal
fat: 5 g
carbs: 92 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 16 g
calories: 485 kcal

Instructions

1
Dissolve the dried yeast and honey in the lukewarm water in a measuring jug.
2
Whisk the bread flour, semola rimacinata, and fine sea salt together in a large mixing bowl.
3
Pour the liquid mixture and olive oil into the dry ingredients, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
4
Tip onto a clean worktop and knead firmly for ten minutes until smooth, supple, and elastic.
5
Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place inside a lightly oiled bowl.
6
Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm spot for ninety minutes until doubled.
7
Punch down the dough gently and roll it out into a uniform cylinder fifty centimetres long.
8
Join the two ends firmly together to form a wide ring with a generous central opening.
9
Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and proof for thirty minutes.
10
Dust lightly with extra semola and bake at 220°C for twenty-five minutes until deeply golden.
11
Cool the ring on a wire rack before splitting horizontally to fill or serve with stews.

Chef's tips

Make the central hole wider than you think necessary, as the dough expands significantly during proofing and baking. Baking at high heat ensures the signature blistered, crunchy crust with a soft interior.

Ingredient substitutions

semola rimacinata → an equal weight of strong white bread flour if durum semolina is unavailable
dried active yeast → 15 g fresh baker's yeast crumbled directly into the water

Storage

Keep the whole cooled bread inside a paper bag at room temperature for up to two days.

Reheating

Warm slices or the split loaf on a hot dry skillet or in a 180°C oven for five minutes to restore crispness.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Leaving too small a central hole, which closes up entirely during the oven rise.
•Underbaking the dough, leading to a pale, leathery crust rather than a crisp, golden shell.
•Slicing the bread while piping hot, which compresses the crumb and makes it gummy.

Serving suggestions

Slice open horizontally and stuff with hot morzello di Catanzaro or spicy sausage and fried peppers.Tear into thick wedges to mop up rich tomato-based fish and meat broths.Fill with sliced soppressata calabrese, provolone, and pickled aubergines for a rustic picnic lunch.