The grandmother of our farmer Vincenzo from Terradiva , Eusapia Nalli, aka “Nonna Titina”  is 92 years old, lives alone in Minervino Murge, and still cooks daily. One of her specialities is her soft, tasty Focaccia (Italian flatbread): no trip or Sunday is complete without it, and it’s always crispy crust.

For Eusapia, “Titina”, making food is something so simple, natural, almost banal… like talking or breathing. Her recipes, and her doughs, have always accompanied Vincenzo and his siblings, ever since they were children playing in front of her door. The ingredients of Eusapia’s recipes are local products, she cooks with whatever comes from the land. As the daughter of farmers, she has always made do with what her father and later her husband used to bring home from the garden and fields, or what produce was exchanged between neighbours.

Vincenzo’s grandmother often tells him that there must not be too many ingredients in a recipe, otherwise the dish will not be good.

Nonna Titina has been in our midst for almost a century of Terradiva’s history now, a history made up of the practices and habits of a southern Italian village, some long gone and others still present and felt. 

Here is the recipe for her beloved focaccia:

INGREDIENTS 

• 400g of durum wheat flour
• 350ml cold water
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 50g extra virgin olive oil (she usually uses our Terradiva’s Allegro)
• 10 diced cherry tomatoes or a handful of Rosemary, depending on the season
• Two dashes of oregano
• Half a cube of brewer’s yeast
  
  

STEPS

1. Combine flour, water, oil, salt, and yeast. Knead the dough mass until it is homogeneous and elastic.
2. Grease a non-stick baking tray with oil.
3. Roll out the dough mass by wetting your hands with water and place it on the baking tray.
4. Cover the dough with a towel and leave to rise for at least three hours.
5. Add the tomatoes or rosemary (depending on the season), oil and oregano on top of the risen dough. Place the focaccia in your pre-heated oven.
6. Leave the focaccia in the oven for about half an hour at 200 degrees.
   
   

Enjoy!