Sicilian Pizza Sfincione

4.50 from 4 votes

Sicilian Pizza aka Lo Sfincione made with a thick, soft rectangular pizza crust, a rich tomato sauce flavoured with onions and anchovies and topped with breadcrumbs. Learn how to make this Sicilian street food at home with easy step by step photos and video tutorial!

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time5 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: thick slices

Author: Emily Wyper

Equipment

2 baking trays 13x9 inch

Ingredients

For the dough

4 cups 00 flour (500g)
1 ⅓ cup lukewarm water (320ml)
2 tsp fast action yeast (7g)
2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for greasing
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt

For the sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion thinly sliced
7-8 salted anchovies
28 oz canned plum tomatoes can also use pureed tomatoes or canned chopped tomatoes (800g)
½ cup cacciocavallo cheese cubed, can also use provolone, pecorino or mild gouda (100g)
Salt and pepper to taste

Breadcrumb topping

¼ cup breadcrumbs (30g)
¼ cup freshly grated pecorino or parmesan (30g)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, salt and yeast making sure to not place the yeast directly on the salt.
Stir to combine the dried ingredients then make a well in the center and add the warm water and olive oil.
Stir to form a dough then tip out onto a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic then place in a clean bowl lightly greased with a little olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to proof for around 3 hours or until tripled in size.
Meanwhile, make the sauce, add the olive oil to a large pan or skillet on a medium heat.
Add the sliced onion and saute slowly until soft and translucent (5-10 minutes). Once soft add the anchovies and stir, breaking them up as they cook. Saute the onions and anchovies for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
Next, add the cubed cheese with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to cook the sauce for another 10 minutes, set aside to cool.
After the dough has risen, tip it out into a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour and divide into two. Roll each half of dough out into a rectangle big enough to fit a 13x9 inch baking tray, it should be around ½ inch thick.
Lightly grease the baking tray with olive oil and place the dough in the tray. Top with half of the prepared sauce making sure to spread it out to the edges. Repeat with the second pizza.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave to proof for a second time for two hours or until doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 450F/230C.
Mix the breadcrumbs, grated pecorino, dried oregano and olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle over each pizza.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, let rest for 5 minutes then cut into slices and serve.

Video

Notes

Make sure to let the dough prove for long enough, it needs to triple in size with the first prove then rise again in the baking tray for at least 1-2 hours. This will ensure your crust is thick and light.
When you move the dough to the baking tray to prove, add the toppings at the same time so you don't knock any air out later.
Bake this pizza at the highest temperature your oven will go for best results!
This recipe makes enough dough and toppings for two pizzas so if you don't want to use it all you can freeze half the dough and sauce.
Make sure your baking tray has tall edges at least 3 inches tall.
After baking, let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
You can use chopped or plum canned tomatoes or passata (pureed tomatoes) to make the sauce.
If you can't find caciocavallo cheese you can use aged provolone, pecorino, unsmoked scamorza or a mild gouda.
If you don't have a 13x9 inch baking tray then you can use any deep baking tray you have just make sure the dough is around 1/2 inch thick in the tray before the second prove.

Nutrition