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Cibo di strada · Palermo, Sicily

Sfincione palermitano

Palermo’s thick, soft focaccia with onion, tomato, anchovy and caciocavallo

Sfincione is Palermo’s thick, spongy focaccia, topped with a sweet onion and tomato sauce, anchovies, caciocavallo, oregano and toasted breadcrumbs.

Prep
40 min
Cook
30 min
Resting
2 hr 45 min
Yield
Serves 8
Level
Medium
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The story

The name is usually traced to a word meaning sponge, which is exactly the texture you want: thick, soft and open. Street vendors sell squares of it from three-wheeled vans all year, and Palermo families bake it at home especially around Christmas and New Year. The topping is sweet with slow-cooked onion and salty with anchovy and cheese.

Ingredients

8 servings

Dough

Topping

You will need

  • Baking tin about 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in)

Method

  1. 1Make the dough

    Dissolve the yeast in the water. Mix with both flours, then add the salt and oil and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and soft (it will be quite sticky). Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, until doubled.

  2. 2Cook the onions

    Meanwhile warm 3 tablespoons of the oil in a wide pan, add the onions with a splash of water and a pinch of salt, cover and cook gently for 15 minutes until very soft. Add the tomatoes and half the anchovies and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes until thick. Season and cool.

  3. 3Second rise

    Oil the tin generously. Press the dough into it with oiled fingers right to the corners, about 2 cm (¾ in) thick. Cover and leave for 45 minutes until puffy.

  4. 4Top

    Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F), or 200°C fan. Press the diced cheese and remaining anchovies into the dough with your fingertips. Spread the sauce over the top. Toss the breadcrumbs with the grated cheese, oregano and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and scatter over.

  5. 5Bake

    Bake for 25–30 minutes until the base is golden and crisp underneath and the crumbs are toasted. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Tips for success

  • A soft, wet dough gives the open, spongy crumb. Resist adding more flour.
  • Lift a corner after 25 minutes: the underside should be golden.

Variations

  • Sfincione bianco from Bagheria uses ricotta, onion and breadcrumbs with no tomato.

Making ahead and storing

Best the day it is made, but it keeps for 2 days wrapped. Reheat in a hot oven for 5–8 minutes.

What to drink

A Nero d’Avola, or a Frappato served slightly cool.

Sfincione palermitano: your questions

Is sfincione a pizza?

It is closer to a focaccia: a thick, soft, bready base rather than a thin crust, with a cooked onion and tomato sauce on top.

Can I make it without anchovies?

Yes. Leave them out and add a few capers or olives for the salty note.

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