Name: Sfincione palermitano
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 4 h
Cuisine: Italian, Palermo / Sicily
Ingredients: 400 g durum wheat remilled semolina; 100 g plain 00 flour; 7 g instant yeast; 5 g sugar; 320 ml lukewarm water, approximately; 10 g fine sea salt; 25 ml extra virgin olive oil; 700 g onions, thinly sliced; 500 g tomato pulp or passata; 8 anchovy fillets; 220 g caciocavallo, diced or coarsely grated; 80 g breadcrumbs; 60 ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 g dried oregano; 2 g black pepper

Rectangular sfincione palermitano with airy crumb, onion, tomato, anchovy and breadcrumbs

Prep35 minutes

Cook55 minutes

Total4 h

Yield8 squares

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The dish

About Sfincione palermitano

Visit Sicily describes sfincione as soft, sponge-like pizza bread.

The Palermo version uses tomato or tomato pulp with onions, salted sardines or anchovies, caciocavallo, oregano and breadcrumbs.

The dough is intentionally very soft rather than a stiff bread dough.

A second rise in the pan helps preserve the characteristic airy crumb.

Technique

Three things that matter

Keep the dough soft. Do not add excess flour simply to make it easier to handle.
Cool the onion sauce. Hot topping damages the second rise.
Use oil on the hands. This lets the soft dough spread without deflating.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Dough

400 gdurum wheat remilled semolina
100 gplain 00 flour
7 ginstant yeast
5 gsugar
320 mllukewarm waterapproximately
10 gfine sea salt
25 mlextra virgin olive oil

Topping

700 gonionsthinly sliced
500 gtomato pulp or passata
8anchovy fillets
220 gcaciocavallodiced or coarsely grated
80 gbreadcrumbs
60 mlextra virgin olive oil
4 gdried oregano
2 gblack pepper

Step by step

Method

Make the dough and sauce

Mix the soft dough. Combine flours, yeast and sugar. Add most of the water and mix; add salt and enough remaining water for a very soft sticky dough, then fold in olive oil.
The dough should be softer than ordinary bread dough.
First rise. Cover and leave until doubled, about 90 minutes depending on room temperature.
The surface should be bubbly and clearly expanded.
Cook the onions. Soften sliced onions with a splash of water, then add oil and 2 anchovy fillets; cook until dry. Add tomato and pepper and simmer 15 minutes, then cool.
The sauce should be thick, sweet and at room temperature before topping.

Pan and top

Spread the dough. Oil the tray and hands, gently spread dough to about 1.5 cm thickness.
Do not press out all the gas.
Add anchovy and cheese. Press remaining anchovy pieces lightly into the dough and scatter caciocavallo.
Toppings should be evenly distributed.
Cover with onion-tomato sauce. Spread the cooled sauce over the surface and leave to rise again 35–45 minutes.
The dough should approach the tray edge and look puffy.

Bake

Start at 200°C. Bake in a fully preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Edges should begin browning while the centre remains soft.
Add breadcrumbs. Mix breadcrumbs with a little oil and scatter over the surface. Continue baking 15–20 minutes.
Breadcrumbs should toast without burning.
Rest before cutting. Finish with oregano and rest 10–15 minutes.
The crumb should stay soft while the base is baked through.

Practical guidance

Serving

Serve warm or at room temperature in substantial squares.

Palermo vs Bagheria

This recipe follows the tomato-based Palermo version; the Bagheria version has a different white-cheese profile.

Dough handling

Oil is more useful than extra flour for handling the sticky dough.

Troubleshooting

Sfincione is dense. The dough was too dry or under-proofed.
Centre is soggy. The onion-tomato sauce was too wet or the oven insufficiently preheated.
Breadcrumbs burn. Add them partway through the bake rather than from the beginning.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 large square
Calories: approximately 520 kcal
Carbohydrates: 73 g
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 18 g
Fibre: 6 g
Sodium: 930 mg

Approximate.

Allergens and food safety

Keep cheese and anchovies refrigerated.

Bake until the centre is fully set and steaming hot.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

FAQ

What makes sfincione different from thin pizza?

Its dough is thick, very soft and sponge-like, with an onion-rich topping.

Is this the Palermo version?

Yes. It uses tomato, unlike the distinct Bagheria white version.

Why are breadcrumbs added?

They create the characteristic toasted finish and absorb a little surface moisture.

Final note

What matters most

Result: A tall, tender Sicilian pizza with sweet onion-tomato topping, salty cheese and anchovy, and a fragrant breadcrumb crust.
Key: Protect the soft dough: use a cooled, reduced topping and allow a full second rise in the tray.