There are many delicious flavors that come from all around the world. Each one adds in the unique culture and individuality of each nation that enjoys it, even if one nation gets its inspiration from another country. One of these dishes is known as the Argentinian Fugazetta.
The Argentinian Fugazetta is a new twist on the traditional fugazella from italy. This variety has more cheese and some onions added on, giving it a distinct flair that the Argentinans love. It is simple to make with a few ingredients for the dough and oil, cheese, and onions for the topping.
This article will take some time to look at what the Argentinian Fugazetta is all about, where it originally comes from, some of the ingredients that go into this treat, and the steps that you need to create this dish on your own.
What Is the Argentinian Fugazetta?
There are many great foods that you can enjoy from the area of Argentina.
Some are similar to treats we enjoy in our home countries, depending on where we live, and others are unique and all their own.
One food from Argentina that belongs to the latter group is the Argentinian Fugazetta.
Fugazetta is a delicious Argentinian pizza topped with onion and is often considered a cousin to the Italian Focaccia.
There is a similar treat in Argentina known as fugazza, but the Fugazzeta is a double-crusted version.
It is also stuffed with cheese and some sweet onions all over.
If you want a little more, the Fugazzetta de verdura will have all the above along with a layer of vegetables and spinach.
Where Does Fugazetta Come From?
Originally the meal known as fugazza came from the area of Northern Italy and can still be found there today.
This is the forerunner of the Fugazetta found in Argentina.
Argentina decided to add a lot of extra cheese and a few other ingredients to this dish, providing something completely unique.
This Italian inspired Argentine dish may seem like the traditional pizza found in America, but there are some key differences.
The Fugazetta does not have tomato sauce and very few toppings on it originally, though you can add some if you would like.
The onions do have a bit of seasoning on it, including olive oil and oregano. And on occasion, ham is added though that is not common.
The Ingredients in Fugazetta
There are a few ingredients you will need to make a good Fugazetta, even if you can’t go to visit Argentina and get one yourself.
The Dough
First, we need to look at the ingredients you need to make the pizza dough and get it perfect. Some ingredients include:
- Olive oil (2 Tbsp.)
- Salt (.5 Tbsp.)
- Flour (2 c.)
- Sugar (1 Tbsp.)
- Warm water (.5 c.)
- Dry yeast (1 tsp.)
For the Toppings
You can mix a few things up and add more ingredients if you would like. These are just the basic ingredients to enjoy this great treat.
The toppings we will use for our recipe include:
- Dried oregano (2 tsp.)
- Chopped olives, green (.75 c.)
- Shredded cheese, mozzarella or provolone are best (4 c.)
- Halved and sliced onions (4)
- Olive oil (2 Tbsp.)
How to Make a Fugazetta
Once you gather all the ingredients, it is time to make the Fugazetta.
There may be a lot of steps for this, but it is well worth it, and you will get faster the more you make it.
The steps you need to create a Fugazetta include:
- Start by proofing the yeast with sugar and warm water. You can give it time to dissolve a bit and set it to the side.
- Once you see that some foam appears, turn on a mixer with a dough hook and slowly start to add in the flour to the bowl and stir a bit.
- Dissolve the salt with a bit of warm water before adding into the flour with the olive oil, stirring the whole time.
- When you see that the dough is coming together, turn up the mixer speed. You will need to stop the mixer every few minutes to scrape the dough down a little from the bowl and hook.
- Continue to mix so the dough will get smooth. Add more flour as needed. The mixing should be done about ten minutes later.
- After this time, turn the dough out onto a surface you can work on. Fold the dough in half over itself several times. Form into a round shape.
- Pour some oil all over a bowl and add the dough inside, turning to coat a bit. Cover with some wrap and let the dough rest in a warm spot for a bit. You want to give it enough time to double its size.
- Bring out a sheet pan and top with cornmeal and olive oil. Take the dough out and turn onto your counter.
- Spend time rolling and stretching this dough to turn it into an oblong shape. It should be ¼-inch thick or so.
- When it is prepared, add it to the pan and cover with some wrap. It needs to rest for a bit here.
- While your dough rests for 15 minutes, you can take out a pan and add the olive oil and onions. Cook for a bit to turn the onions deep brown.
- Turn the oven, so it warms to 425 degrees. Uncover the dough and brush with some oil. Scatter the onions, oregano, olives, and cheese over this.
- Add the dough and toppings onto the bottom rack of your oven to bake. After 15 minutes, take out to cool down.
- Slice up and enjoy this treat.
The Best Time to Enjoy This Treat
You can enjoy this treat at any time of the day. It is often saved for lunch or supper since it takes longer to prepare compared to some other dishes.
But save a little bit for breakfast the next day and see how great this will taste in the morning too.
Tips to Get the Most Out of Fugazetta
Don’t Rush the Process
It can be frustrating to wait for the dough to rise a few times.
But it is important to make sure the dough has time to rise and set or the base will be ruined, and nothing will work out for the rest of the Fugazetta.
It usually takes 45 minutes for the dough to rise, but if it takes longer to double in size, let it set for longer.
Choose Different Toppings
The traditional toppings found on a Fugazetta include cheese and onions, along with a few seasonings.
You will usually not find much else like sauce or other toppings that American pizza will contain.
This doesn’t mean you can’t turn the Fugazetta into something unique and your own.
Spinach and other vegetables are popular toppings to add on.
And you can choose something else if you prefer as well.
Make Sure the Onions Are Done
Cooking the onions takes time as well. You may want to start doing this while the dough rises.
You want them browned and caramelized.
Stir these constantly while they cook and don’t pull them out too early.
Conclusion
The Argentinian Fugazetta is a unique take on an old traditional favorite from Italy.
But it has become one of Argentina’s favorite dishes. Popular both in restaurants and as a street food.
The Argentinians have added their own flair and culture to the mix, allowing us to have a delicious meal at any time.
The recipe and ingredients are simple, and you can add this to your lineup whenever you want to add something new to your meals.
Better save room for a dessert! Argentinian desserts are not to be missed. Almendrado anyone?
For Argentinian dessert recipes and freshly imported Argentine foods and drinks, shop our online store.
Sources
- Tara’s Multicultural Table: Fugazzeta (Argentinian Stuffed Pizza)
- The Spruce Eats: Fugazzeta: Stuffed Argentinian-Style Pizza
- Bourbon and Brown Sugar: Fugazetta
- The Spruce Eats: All About Focaccia Bread
- Honest Cooking: Fugazzeta — The Argentine Pizza
- Wikipedia: Focaccia
- Rebecca’s International Kitchen: Fugazetta Pizza
Jorge Garcia
Our blog is all about sharing our love of Latin American foods & drinks. We’ll bring you articles and recipes of the very best Latin American & Spanish cuisine. Amigofoods was founded in 2003 and is the largest online grocery store offering a wide variety of hard to find freshly imported foods & drinks from all over Latin America and Spain.
Read more about the author & Amigofoods on our About Us page.
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