Fitascetta

The fitascetta is a donut of bread dough covered with soft red onions and baked in the oven.

4 servings

Easy

Calabria

EasyCalabria

Fitascetta is a simple and substantial Calabrese oven-baked preparation, designed to enhance the bread dough with a soft and flavorful topping. The dish's character comes from the combination of the elastic consistency of the dough and the sweetness of the red onions, slowly cooked in butter until tender and glossy. The ring shape provides a large surface, ideal for accommodating the onions in an even layer, while the central hole helps define the dish and promotes even cooking. The seasoning remains essential: a little salt completes the flavor profile without altering the balance between bread and onion. Cooking over medium heat dries and firms the dough, leaving the filling soft and well-adhered to the surface.

Instructions

Voice reading

6 steps · natural Italian voice

Prepare the onions

60 min

Peel the red onions and cut them into even slices, so they will cook evenly. Transfer them to a skillet with butter and cook them over low heat for about an hour. Stir occasionally and check that they become soft and shiny, without burning or turning dark.

Soften the dough

Soften the bread dough with a little warm water, gradually adding it and kneading the dough for a few minutes. Continue kneading until the dough is elastic, smooth, and easily shaped; avoid making it too soft, as it will need to hold its shape during cooking.

Shape the sausage

Work the softened dough and stretch it until it forms a regular sausage shape. Maintain a uniform thickness throughout the dough, so the donut will cook without any raw or overly dry areas.

Shape the donut

Grease a baking sheet and arrange the sausage in a circle. Leave a fairly large hole in the center and arrange the dough evenly, without overlapping the ends. The surface should be ready to support the onions without deforming.

Spread the onions

Cover the surface of the donut with the cooked and soft onions. Spread them in an even layer and season with a little salt, so that the sweet flavor of the onion will remain balanced without overpowering that of the bread dough.

Bake in the oven

30 min

Bake the fitascetta over medium heat for about thirty minutes. Check that the pastry is cooked through and the surface is dry and lightly golden, while the onions should remain soft and adhere to the ring.

Chef's Tips

The editors recommend cooking the onions very slowly, keeping them soft and without letting them brown: this will distribute a sweet and uniform flavor throughout the pasta.