1989. The Berlin Wall fell. Brazil had its first election in nearly three decades. Ana Oxa sang Ti lascerò at Sanremo. And, in the center of Florence, the Mazzanti family opened a small wine bar with snacks. Unknown to them, they would leave a legacy that would travel far.

The family’s primary idea was to serve square sandwiches with fresh, seasonal fillings, to honor the traditional flatbread and focaccia’s big cousin — the schiacciata. It would be a versatile and filling pick-me-up that worked equally well as a late dinner or as a lunch on the hoof.