Impanata Siciliana
Impanata Siciliana is a traditional enclosed semolina pie from south-eastern Sicily, stuffed with succulent seasoned meat and potatoes.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 580 kcal
Equipment
- •Rolling pin
- •Baking sheet
- •Mixing bowl
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 580 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Combine the semola rimacinata and half the salt in a wide mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour in forty millilitres of olive oil and the warm water gradually.
- 3
Knead vigorously for ten minutes until the dough becomes smooth and pliable.
- 4
Cover the dough with a cloth and rest for thirty minutes.
- 5
Toss the diced lamb, potatoes, spring onions, rosemary, tomato paste, wine, remaining oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- 6
Divide the rested dough into two portions, using two-thirds for the base and one-third for the lid.
- 7
Roll the larger dough piece into a round sheet three millimetres thick.
- 8
Place the sheet onto an oiled baking tray and mound the meat filling neatly in the centre.
- 9
Roll out the smaller dough piece and drape it over the filling.
- 10
Crimp the pastry edges firmly with a folded rope-twist border to seal.
- 11
Pierce several steam holes across the top crust and brush lightly with olive oil.
- 12
Bake at 200 degrees C for forty-five to fifty minutes until deep golden and crisp.
Chef's tips
Ensure the meat and potatoes are diced into uniform small cubes so they steam through completely inside the crust. Let the baked impanata rest for fifteen minutes before slicing so the savoury juices settle.
Ingredient substitutions
- lamb shoulder → pork shoulder or blanched cauliflower florets with black olives
- semola rimacinata → strong white bread flour, though the crust will have less crisp bite
Storage
Keep leftover impanata wrapped tightly in greaseproof paper in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for ten minutes to restore pastry crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the pastry too thickly, which leaves the crimped border heavy and underbaked.
- •Cutting meat into large chunks that remain tough after baking.
- •Failing to prick steam holes, which causes the crust to split open during baking.
Serving suggestions
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