Umbrian Flatbread

Name: Umbrian Flatbread
Ingredients: Filling; 2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed and rinsed well; 2 tablespoons Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 pound prosciutto, diced; 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese; Grinding coarse black pepper; Dough; 3 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons Filippo Berio extra-virgin olive oil; Warm water as needed; Ingredients

Flat breads are reminiscent of some of the first unleavened breads. In Umbria this has evolved into torta al testo or bread made on a testo, or hot stone. A dry electric skillet works well too. Be aware that this bread goes by other names depending on where you are in Umbria; for instance in Gubbio this is called crescia, in Perugia torta al testo, in other areas pizza al testo.

Makes 6 rounds or 12 small sandwiches

Ingredients

Filling
2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed and rinsed well
2 tablespoons Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound prosciutto, diced
1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese
Grinding coarse black pepper
Dough
3 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Filippo Berio extra-virgin olive oil
Warm water as needed
Ingredients

Directions

For the Filling
Place the spinach in a large pot but do not add water. Cover and cook the spinach about 3 or 4 minutes or just until it wilts down. Transfer the spinach to a colander and squeeze the spinach dry with a wooden spoon or let it cool and squeeze it dry with your hands. On a cutting board chop the spinach fine and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan; add the prosciutto and sauté it until it begins to brown and crisp. Add the spinach and a good grinding of black pepper and mix well. Set aside.
For the Dough
On a work surface combine the flour, salt, baking powder. Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture and add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of water to it at a time to make a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let it rest covered for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll out each piece into a 6-inch circle. Set the circles aside on a floured surface.
Heat a cast-iron griddle, frying pan, or an electric frying pan until hot. Prick the circles all over with a fork. Use a small glass to make overlapping circle designs on the circles. These marks are decorative. Place one at a time on the hot testo.
Cook until the breads have browned slightly on the bottom, about 3 o 4 minutes, and have little specks of brown from the fork marks. Turn them over and brown them on the other side.
Transfer the circles to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cut each torta into 4 wedges with a knife. Divide the filling evenly among half of the wedges, and top with the remaining wedges to make sandwiches.
Serve immediately.