Frederic Melton
Sicilian pizza is a style of pizza that originated in the Sicily region of Italy. It is derived from the Sicilian street food sfincione, which is a focaccia-like dough topped with onions, breadcrumbs, and caciocavallo cheese. Sicilian pizza is often thick-crusted and rectangular, but can also be round and similar to Neapolitan pizza. It is traditionally topped with tomatoes, herbs, onions, anchovies, and strong cheeses such as caciocavallo and toma. The Sicilian methods of making pizza vary across different provinces, and the dough is sometimes baked in advance to prevent it from buckling under the weight of the toppings.
Sicilian Cheese Pizza Characteristics and Values Table
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Crust | Thick, bread-like, focaccia-like, airy, stable, light, puffy |
| Crust Texture | Crunchy, soft |
| Crust Colour | Golden |
| Crust Shape | Rectangular, square, round |
| Cheese | Mozzarella, Parmesan, Caciocavallo, Pecorino Romano, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Quattro Formaggi, Toma |
| Toppings | Onions, breadcrumbs, herbs, tomatoes, anchovies, pepperoni, vegetables, potato, sausage, broccoli, eggs, endive |
| Sauce | Tomato sauce, marinara sauce |
| Calories | 561kcal |
| Baking Technique | Par-baking, dimpling the dough, double baking |
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What You'll Learn
- Sicilian pizza is derived from sfincione, a focaccia-like dough topped with onions, breadcrumbs, and caciocavallo cheese
- Sicilian pizza is traditionally thick-crusted and rectangular, but can also be round
- Sicilian pizza is often topped with tomatoes, herbs, onions, anchovies, and strong cheese
- Sicilian-style pizza is popular in Italian-American enclaves throughout the northeastern United States
- Sicilian pizza dough is partially baked in advance, which prevents it from buckling under the weight of toppings
Sicilian pizza is derived from sfincione, a focaccia-like dough topped with onions, breadcrumbs, and caciocavallo cheese
Sicilian pizza is a style of pizza that originated in the Sicily region of Italy. It became a popular dish in western Sicily by the mid-19th century and was introduced to North America by Sicilian immigrants. Sicilian pizza is often characterised by its thick crust and rectangular shape, although it can also be round. The dough is typically focaccia-like, soft, and airy, and may be parbaked to prevent it from becoming soggy from the toppings.
Sicilian pizza is derived from sfincione, a traditional Sicilian variety of pizza that originated in the province of Palermo. Sfincione is typically made with a focaccia-like dough, which is a soft dough that can be baked to be light and airy, similar to focaccia bread. The dough is topped with a thick tomato sauce flavoured with onions and anchovies, and the pizza is then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and grated caciocavallo cheese before baking. Caciocavallo is a sharp, strong cheese that can be substituted with Pecorino Romano if it is unavailable.
The Sicilian methods of making pizza vary across different provinces, such as Palermo, Syracuse, Messina, and the Metropolitan City of Catania, each with its own unique traditions and ingredients. For example, in Catania, a typical Sicilian pizza is a fried calzone stuffed with cheese and anchovies, while in Messina, the traditional pizza is a calzone filled with endive, toma cheese, tomato, and anchovies.
Sicilian-style pizza is also popular in Italian-American communities in the northeastern United States, where it has influenced other styles such as Detroit-style pizza. In these communities, Sicilian pizza may be baked twice: once without toppings and then again with toppings. This double-baking technique may have been developed to ensure that the crust can withstand the weight of the toppings without becoming soggy.
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Sicilian pizza is traditionally thick-crusted and rectangular, but can also be round
Sicilian pizza is a style of pizza that originated in the Sicily region of Italy. It became a popular dish in western Sicily by the mid-19th century and was the type of pizza usually consumed in Sicily until the 1860s. It eventually reached North America in an altered form, with a thicker crust and a rectangular shape.
Sicilian pizza is traditionally thick-crusted and rectangular, but it can also be round. The rectangular variety is often cut into squares instead of wedges. The dough is similar to focaccia and is topped with a tomato sauce, herbs, onions, and anchovies. The cheese used is typically a strong, sharp, grated variety called caciocavallo, although other options include Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, Parmesan, or a combination of several cheeses.
The Sicilian methods of making pizza vary among the provinces of Palermo, Syracuse, and Messina, and the Metropolitan City of Catania. In the province of Syracuse, especially in Solarino and Sortino, pizzòlu is a type of round stuffed pizza. In the Metropolitan City of Catania, a traditional scacciata is made with a first layer of dough, covered with local cheese (toma) and anchovies, and a second layer of dough brushed with eggs. In the United States, "Sicilian pizza" often refers to the square variety with dough over an inch thick and a crunchy, airy base.
Preparing the dough for Sicilian pizza typically involves letting it rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. The dough is then pressed or rolled into a large rectangle and allowed to rise again until puffy before adding toppings and baking. The “upside-down” assembly method involves adding cheese before the sauce to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
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Sicilian pizza is often topped with tomatoes, herbs, onions, anchovies, and strong cheese
Sicilian pizza is a style of pizza that originated in the Sicily region of Italy. It is derived from sfincione, a focaccia-like dough topped with onions, breadcrumbs, and caciocavallo cheese. Sicilian pizza is known for its thick, bread-like crust and is usually rectangular and cut into squares, although it can also be found in a more traditional circular shape.
One unique characteristic of Sicilian pizza is that the sauce is sometimes placed on top of the toppings, a technique used to prevent the thick dough from becoming soggy. This method is known as the "upside-down" assembly. Additionally, the crust of a Sicilian pizza is sometimes baked in advance, which helps to create a stable base that can hold the weight of the toppings without becoming soggy.
The process of making Sicilian pizza varies across different provinces in Sicily, such as Palermo, Syracuse, Messina, and the Metropolitan City of Catania. Each region has its own traditional recipes and variations, such as the pizzòlu in Syracuse, scacciata in Catania, and piduni in Messina.
Sicilian pizza has also evolved as it spread to other parts of the world. In the United States, "Sicilian pizza" typically refers to a square, thick-crusted, and crunchy variation. It is believed that Sicilian immigrants brought their pizza traditions to the United States, particularly to the northeastern states, where it gained popularity.
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Sicilian-style pizza is popular in Italian-American enclaves throughout the northeastern United States
Sicilian-style pizza is a popular dish in Italian-American enclaves across the northeastern United States, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. This style of pizza is believed to have been introduced to the United States by Sicilian immigrants, influencing what is now known as Detroit-style pizza.
The Sicilian pizza is characterised by a thick, bread-like crust, often rectangular in shape, and loaded with toppings. The dough is prepared with a parbake method, where it is partially baked in advance, giving it a stable base that can withstand the weight of generous toppings. The crust is then topped with a combination of cheeses, most commonly mozzarella and Parmesan, creating a hearty and satisfying pizza.
The traditional Sicilian pizza, known as "sfincione," is a focaccia-like dough topped with onions, breadcrumbs, and caciocavallo cheese. This variety is typically served on New Year's Eve in Sicily. However, when ordering Sicilian-style pizza in the United States, the toppings may vary, allowing for customisation to suit individual preferences.
The process of making Sicilian-style pizza is influenced by local culture and traditions, resulting in variations among different provinces in Sicily. For example, in Syracuse, especially in Solarino and Sortino, "pizzòlu" is a type of round stuffed pizza. Meanwhile, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, "scacciata" is made with a first layer of dough, local cheese (toma), and anchovies, or with potatoes, sausages, broccoli, and tomato sauce.
The versatility of Sicilian-style pizza, accommodating various toppings and shapes, has contributed to its popularity in Italian-American communities across the northeastern United States. It offers a unique blend of Sicilian heritage and local influences, making it a beloved choice for those who enjoy thick-crust, rectangular pizzas with an abundance of melted cheese.
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Sicilian pizza dough is partially baked in advance, which prevents it from buckling under the weight of toppings
Sicilian-style pizza is characterized by its thick crust and rectangular shape. It is typically topped with tomatoes, herbs, onions, anchovies, and strong cheese such as caciocavallo and
Preparing Sicilian pizza dough involves letting the dough rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size. Then, the dough is pressed or rolled into a large rectangle and covered to let rise again for about an hour until it becomes puffy. The dough is then covered with cheese and baked.
However, a unique characteristic of Sicilian pizza dough is that it is often partially baked in advance. This technique, also known as parbaking, helps to stabilize the dough and prevent it from buckling under the weight of toppings. By baking the dough beforehand, it becomes more robust and can better withstand the heft of the toppings. This method is particularly useful for Sicilian pizza due to its thick crust and heavy toppings.
Peter Reinhart's "Perfect Pan Pizza" highlights this technique, noting that Sicilian-style pizza is the only one in the book that employs parbaking. The parbake technique involves baking the dough once without any toppings and then again with the toppings. This two-step baking process ensures that the crust can support the weight of the sauce and toppings without buckling.
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Frequently asked questions
Sicilian Cheese Pizza is a style of pizza that originated in the Sicily region of Italy. It is often thick-crusted and rectangular, but can also be round. It is usually topped with loads of melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
The ingredients in Sicilian Cheese Pizza are flour, sugar, salt, yeast, warm water, olive oil, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
To make Sicilian Cheese Pizza, first, mix flour, sugar, salt, yeast, warm water, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Then, let the dough rise for about an hour. Next, press or roll the dough into a large rectangle and let it rise again for about an hour. After that, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Cover the dough with sliced mozzarella, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and spoon the sauce over the cheese. Finally, bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Sicilian Pizza is usually thicker and more rectangular than regular pizza. It also has a bread-like crust and is often loaded with more toppings, such as cheese, sauce, and other ingredients.
