When most people think of pizza, they think of the classic Neapolitan pizza – the round pie with Marzano tomatoes and shredded mozzarella, topped with olive oil and bay leaves. But Sicilian pizza is just as good, just as classic, and just as popular in some pizza-loving corners of the world.
Unlike a classic Neapolitan or Margherita pizza, a true Sicilian Pizza is a square or rectangular thick crust pizza cut into squares. Traditionally, it just used focaccia bread topped with sauce and other delicious toppings. The most popular Sicilian pizza is from Palermo, which makes use of all those classic and traditional toppings like onions, anchovies, sliced tomatoes, fresh herbs, and particularly strong cheeses like toma or caciocavallo.
Classic Sicilian Pizza at Home Recipe
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH:
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups semolina flour
- 1⅔ cup of water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking yeast
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp cilantro
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp salt
FOR THE PIZZA:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
To Make Dough:
- Mix the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, sugar and yeast on low speed in a stand mixer. Slowly add water, oil, and salt to form a dough and keep mixing for 2 minutes. Cover with a moist kitchen towel and let rise for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove dough and knead on floured cutting board. Shape the dough into a tight ball and place back into the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for 24 hours.
To Make the Sauce:
- Heat oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, oregano and red pepper flakes, then add crushed tomatoes and salt.
- Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. The sauce will reduce to about 2 cups but become stronger and more flavorful.
Making the Pizza:
- Place a baking stone on the upper-middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Oil a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and gently press into a 12x9-inch rectangle. Move it to the prepared baking sheet and roll to fit. Then, place a second baking sheet (oiled) on the dough and let rest for an hour.
- Go ahead and take the top baking sheet and spread sauce on the dough. Then go ahead and sprinkle the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce and dough.
- Slide the pan on the baking stone and bake until the cheese is bubbly and browned - roughly 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove pizza from the oven and cool 5 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges of the pizza from the pan, slide it onto a cutting board, and then slice into squares. Enjoy! Serve with bread and olive oil for a perfect Italian meal.
For more cool ideas check out other sites about pizza, there’s no lack of them.
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