Whereas somebody from Palermo would by no means name this dish something aside from “sfincione,” this unimaginable recipe may be regarded as a kind of Sicilian pizza. With a thick and spongy dough, a hearty onion and tomato-based sauce, and a punchy and umami-rich taste, that is the antithesis of Neapolitan pizza.

How you can Make Sfincione Palermitano | Genuine Sicilian Pizza Recipe
One very handy benefit sfincione has over Neapolitan pizza is that, not like the latter, it may be constructed from begin to end in sooner or later! Subsequent time you’re craving a pizza however don’t wish to watch for the subsequent day, give this thick-crust Sicilian “pizza” a shot.
Sicilian vs. Neapolitan Pizza
What makes sfincione completely different from conventional pizza? For starters, the dough is totally completely different. Whereas regular pizza dough is made with 00 (or all-purpose) flour, yeast, water and salt, sfincione dough additionally mixes in some semolina flour, olive oil and a tiny little bit of sugar. The oil makes the dough spongy and, ultimately, barely crispy; the sugar provides a touch of sweetness that pairs very properly with the onion sauce which brings a variety of pure sweetness to the “pizza.” These would possibly look like minor tweaks however the closing outcomes are completely divergent!
A traditional tomato pizza sauce isn’t cooked, because it’s meant to retain a lightweight and recent style (which is why delicate basil works so properly with it). Sfincione sauce is thick and cooked down to attain a strong, savory taste, which is then additional accented with the daring flavors of anchovies and oregano.
Lastly, in fact, there’s the shape issue. Sfincione isn’t spherical, it’s a pan pizza that’s minimize sq.. The large, thick slices are a far cry from thin-crust pizza, however they superbly absorb the heavier sauce.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video the place we make Sciavata right here:
SFINCIONE PALERMITANO RECIPE
Makes: One massive pan pizza which serves 6-8 individuals
Cook dinner Time: As much as 7 hours, largely unattended
For the dough, you will have:
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1 tsp (5g) lively dry yeast
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1 1/4 cups (300g) water
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2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
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1 2/3 cups (200g) semolina flour
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2 tbsp (30g) additional virgin olive oil
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2 1/2 tsp (12g) salt
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3 1/2 tsp (15g) white granulated sugar
For the sauce and toppings, you will have:
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3-4 tbsp additional virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling and brushing
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2 massive onions, thinly sliced
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28 oz. (800g) canned entire peeled tomatoes
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Salt
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Contemporary black pepper
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~10 anchovies underneath oil, chopped
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4 oz. (115g) chopped Sicilian caciocavallo cheese (or substitute with a pointy provolone)
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1/2 cup (45g) bread crumbs, or to style
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Grated cheese to style (if yow will discover it, use a Sicilian caciocavallo; in any other case substitute with pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
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Dried oregano to style
Additionally, you will want
Stir the dry yeast into the water till it has dissolved. In massive mixing bowl, mix the flours, olive oil, salt and sugar. Combine them collectively properly, then start step by step including the water whereas persevering with to combine by hand.
When all the water is included and a tough dough has shaped, switch it to a clear work floor and knead till it is vitally even and pretty clean—about 10-Quarter-hour. If the dough is sticky, mud it with a bit flour. It must be mushy and pliable; if it’s too dry you possibly can work a bit extra water in.
Place the completed dough again into the blending bowl, cowl it with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours or till it doubles in dimension. Liberally brush a medium non-stick baking tray with olive oil and switch the dough into the middle. Rub a bit oil in your fingers to stop sticking and use your fingers to press the dough out till it evenly fills the tray into each nook. Cowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1-2 hours or till it’s about an inch thick.
Whereas the dough rises within the pan, you possibly can put together the sauce. Mix the olive oil and sliced onions in a saucepan over medium warmth. Cook dinner the onions, stirring regularly, till they’re barely tender. In the meantime, put together the entire peeled tomatoes by chopping them right into a pulp with kitchen shears (it’s also possible to break them up by hand).
Pour the tomatoes (plus all of the purée from the can) into the onions. Stir all collectively, season with a beneficiant pinch of salt, and produce to a delicate simmer. Cook dinner the sauce, partially lined for about 1 hour, or till the onions turn into very tender and candy and the sauce thickens. Season once more with salt because the sauce nears completion, then set it apart for later.
When the dough has risen, preheat an oven to 410 levels F (210 C). Unfold chopped anchovies and chopped cheese evenly over the dough. Subsequent, unfold the tomato/onion sauce in a thick layer over all.
Bake the sfincione for 20 minutes. Take away it from the oven and decrease the temperature to 400 F (205 C). Prime the pizza with sprinkled bread crumbs, a beneficiant grating of cheese, and dried oregano. Bake an extra 10 minutes or till the cheese is melted and starting to get crispy.
Serve heat and recent for greatest outcomes, however sfincione can be scrumptious when chilly!
Buon appetito!
Need to examine this to a conventional, Neapolitan pizza? You will discover our recipe right here! If pan pizza is extra your model, do not miss out on making an attempt a “Pizza al Padellino” from Turin!