The star of
Umbrian cooking!

Focaccia Umbra, also known as “torta al testo”, is an Umbrian typical product invented by ancient Umbrian civilization, when it was used as a replacement for bread.
The first kind of focaccia, which preceded Focaccia Umbra, was called “mefa”, a round-shape mix of flour, water and salt, cooked on a pre-heated round-shaped stone called “panaro”.
When the Umbrian civilization met the Roman one, there was a union into a unique civilization and a new cooking system was invented and called “testo”, as it was a 3 cm thick round shape stone, very similar to a roof tile, which was called “testum” in Latin.

The “testo” is fundamental for the correct realization of Torta al Testo, to the point that even the dish was named after it.
At the beginning “testo” was a mix of clay and gravel, modeled in a round shape and cooked in a furnace. During the last century, the metal “testo” has started replacing the original one, as it was very easy to use, and successively the cast iron “testo” was introduced. This later version is the more common nowadays for domestic “torta al testo” cooking.

Water, flour, salt and baking soda were the only ingredients used during the whole period of rural civilization.
Baking soda was the only yeast known by women at that time, and it had to be accurately dosed in the right ratio with salt and water. If there was too much baking soda, the final “torta al testo” came out yellow. Otherwise, if there was too little yeast, the whole dough did not rise and stayed hard.

The fireplace was the favorite place to cook the “torta al testo”, as well as a meeting point for all the family.
Hot ashes and fire made the “torta al testo” very soft inside and crisp outside, leaving the typically burned signs on the “torta”.