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Sfincione Palermitano

Soft Sicilian tray bread with onion, anchovy and caciocavallo

Palermo’s soft, thick sfincione topped with slow-cooked onion and tomato, salted anchovies, caciocavallo, oregano and breadcrumbs.

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Prep45 minsCook60 minsServes8DifficultyMedium

Plus 1 day 1 hr 45 min for overnight fermentation, final proving and resting; included in the total time below.

Editorial recipe cover for Sfincione Palermitano, from Palermo, Sicily

Palermo, Sicily

The regional version.

Palermo’s red sfincione with tomato, rather than the white Bagheria version with fresh cheeses.

  • A thick, soft risen base replaces the thin base of many pizzas.
  • Onion, tomato, salted anchovy and caciocavallo form the Palermo topping.
  • Breadcrumbs and oregano finish the surface; mozzarella is not used.

Technique: soft Sicilian tray bread with onion, anchovy and caciocavallo

Make the onion sauce thick before topping the dough. Excess tomato liquid weighs down the crumb. Allow enough time after refrigeration for the dough to relax before stretching.

The recipe

Sfincione Palermitano

45 min prep60 min cook1 day 3 hrs 30 min total8 servings

Includes 1 day 1 hr 45 min for overnight fermentation, final proving and resting.

Scale:

Ingredients

Dough

Topping

Method

  1. 1

    Mix flours, water and yeast; knead in lard and salt to form a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

  2. 2

    Bring dough out for an hour, then stretch into an oiled 30 × 40 cm tray. Leave to rise for another 30–45 minutes.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile soften sliced onions with 40 ml oil and a splash of water for 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and chopped anchovies.

  4. 4

    Simmer until thick; stir in oregano and grated caciocavallo. Toast crumbs with a little of the remaining oil.

  5. 5

    Heat the oven to 200°C. Press diced cheese into the risen dough and spread the onion sauce evenly over it.

  6. 6

    Scatter crumbs and drizzle remaining oil. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the base is cooked and the topping golden.

  7. 7

    Rest 10 minutes before slicing into squares. The crumb should be soft and airy beneath the savoury topping.

The version on this page

Palermo’s red sfincione with tomato, rather than the white Bagheria version with fresh cheeses.

  • A thick, soft risen base replaces the thin base of many pizzas.
  • Onion, tomato, salted anchovy and caciocavallo form the Palermo topping.
  • Breadcrumbs and oregano finish the surface; mozzarella is not used.

Cooking it well

Make the onion sauce thick before topping the dough. Excess tomato liquid weighs down the crumb. Allow enough time after refrigeration for the dough to relax before stretching.

Serving and planning

Serve warm rather than scorching hot, cut into squares. The tomato-free Bagheria sfincione is a distinct local version.

Allow 1545 additional minutes for overnight fermentation, final proving and resting. This is included in the total recipe time, alongside active preparation and cooking.

Explore the Sicilian cooking guide for related dishes and pantry notes.

Storage

Refrigerate cooled sfincione in a sealed container and use within 2 days.

Freezing

Freeze wrapped portions for up to 1 month and thaw in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat on a tray in a 180°C oven until hot through and the base is crisp again.

Keep cooking

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