Coca de Recapte

Ingredients

• 400 gbread flour
• 200 mlwarm water
• 60 mlextra virgin olive oil
• 5 ginstant yeast
• 8 gfine sea salt
• 2red bell peppers — roasted and cut into strips
• 1eggplant — roasted and sliced
• 1onion — thinly sliced
• 60 gblack olives — pitted

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 400 g of bread flour, 5 g of instant yeast, and 8 g of fine sea salt. Gradually add 200 ml of warm water and 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil, mixing with your hands or a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky, indicating it is ready to rise.
2. Place the kneaded dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free area until it has doubled in size. This should take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature. The dough is ready when it has visibly expanded and feels airy when gently pressed.
3. While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings. Roast the 2 red bell peppers and 1 eggplant directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until the skin is charred and blistered. Place them in a bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap to steam for 10 minutes. This will make the skins easier to peel off. Once cooled, peel off the skins, remove the seeds, and slice the peppers and eggplant into strips.
4. Preheat your oven to 220°C (428°F). Once the dough has risen, gently deflate it and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1 cm thick. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the sliced roasted peppers, eggplant, and 1 sliced onion evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
5. Scatter 60 g of black olives over the vegetables, pressing them gently into the dough. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top to enhance the flavors and help the vegetables caramelize. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the base sounds hollow when tapped. The vegetables should be tender and slightly caramelized.
6. Remove the coca from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool slightly. This allows the crumb to finish setting and prevents it from becoming soggy. Once cooled to your liking, slice and serve the Coca de Recapte. Enjoy it as is, or with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or a fresh tomato rub for added flavor.