Sfincione Palermitano
A thick, spongy Sicilian focaccia topped with slow-cooked onions, anchovies, rich tomato sauce, caciocavallo cheese, and toasted breadcrumbs.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large rectangular baking tray (30x40 cm)
- •Frying pan
- •Mixing bowl
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix the semola rimacinata, bread flour, yeast, and lukewarm water in a bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
- 2
Work the salt and two tablespoons of olive oil into the dough, kneading until soft and elastic.
- 3
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for two hours until doubled in volume.
- 4
Cook the sliced onions in two tablespoons of olive oil over low heat for twenty minutes until soft and sweet.
- 5
Add the crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt to the onions, then simmer gently for fifteen minutes until thick.
- 6
Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan over medium heat for three minutes until golden brown and aromatic.
- 7
Pour two tablespoons of olive oil into the rectangular baking tray and spread it evenly to coat the bottom.
- 8
Press the dough into the tray using your fingertips to stretch it out into a spongy, dimpled layer.
- 9
Press the anchovy pieces and diced caciocavallo evenly into the dough with your fingers.
- 10
Spoon the warm tomato and onion sauce across the dough, covering the cheese and anchovies evenly.
- 11
Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs and dried oregano over the sauce, finishing with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
- 12
Bake at 220 degrees C for twenty-five minutes until the edges are deep golden and the crust is crisp beneath.
Chef's tips
Cook the onions very slowly so they become soft and sweet rather than browned. Make sure the tomato sauce is well reduced before spreading, as excess moisture will make the spongy dough soggy. Do not skip the semola rimacinata, which gives the classic Sicilian crumb its golden colour and open texture.
Ingredient substitutions
- caciocavallo cheese → young pecorino siciliano or provolone piccante
- anchovy fillets in oil → salted anchovies, rinsed and filleted
Storage
Store leftover sfincione wrapped tightly in foil at room temperature for up to one day or refrigerated for three days.
Reheating
Reheat square slices on a hot dry frying pan or in a 200 degrees C oven for five minutes to restore the crisp base.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using raw onions instead of slow-cooking them first until soft and sweet.
- •Baking at too low a temperature, which results in a pale, soggy crust.
- •Adding untoasted breadcrumbs, which absorb sauce moisture and stay pale rather than crisping up.
Serving suggestions
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