Sfincione: Sicily’s thick, spongy street pizza.
Sfincione is a national dish of Palermo, Sicily. The name comes from the Latin word “spongia,” a nod to the thick, soft dough that rises high like a sponge. Tradition says it was first created by the nuns of San Vito’s monastery in Palermo, served during festivities as an alternative to classic bread — a way to combine bread with the typical seasonings of rural cuisine.
The version sold on the streets of Palermo usually features anchovies and cubes of the famous Caciocavallo cheese, all topped with breadcrumbs. My version swaps in Pecorino Romano and a fine breadcrumb topping. Hot, cold, room temperature, breakfast, snack, cocktail hour, aperitivo… you get my drift.
You could simply top it with olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, but the texture of this dough really calls for a lovely tomato sauce to make it something special.
In Palermo, where the recipe originates, the sauce is made with sliced onions, and the pizza is often finished with anchovies, breadcrumbs, oregano, and cheeses like Caciocavallo.
My version stays closer to the pizza I grew up eating in Canada — a thick, bread-like crust with a rich tomato sauce. Don’t be afraid to try an uncommon ingredient here: semolina flour, which adds a grainy texture to the raw dough while giving it structure. That graininess disappears during baking, leaving the crumb tender and subtly textured.
Sfincione
Difficulty: Medium
Prep + Cooking Time: ~3 hours (including a 1.5 – 2hour first rise and 30 minutes / 1 hour second rise)
Yield: 4 generous lunch portions, or about 10 servings for aperitivo
INGREDIENTS
For the Dough
1 Teaspoon active dry yeast or 10 Gr. fresh yeast
350 Gr. Lukewarm water
400 Gr. All purpose flour (00 flour works beautifully as well)
100 Gr. Semolina flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
60 Gr. grated Pecorino Romano
30 Gr. Breadcrumbs
INGREDIENTS
For the Sauce
1 large onion, finely chopped
½ Teaspoon Chili flakes
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
1 Small can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped (400 Gr)
Salt & Pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water and yeast. Stir gently, cover with a cloth, and let rest for 5 minutes — the yeast should rise to the surface and bubble, a good sign that it’s active.
Using the dough hook attachment, add the flour, semolina flour, olive oil, and salt to the same bowl. Mix on medium speed for 10 minutes. This timing matters — it allows the gluten to develop fully, giving the dough a smooth, elastic texture. The dough will feel slightly grainy at this stage from the semolina; don’t worry, it softens completely during baking.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 2 hours, until it doubles in volume.
Transfer the dough to your baking pan and stretch it to cover the entire surface.
Spread the sauce evenly over the dough, then top with Pecorino Romano and breadcrumbs.
Let the dough rise a second time for 30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 225°C (435°F) oven for 35–40 minutes, until the base is well-cooked and golden brown.
Delizioso!
PREPARATION
Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion with the chili flakes until the edges begin to brown.
Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
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