Pizza al taglio ~ Sicilian Style Pizza by the slice
Pizza al taglio ~ Sicilian Style Pizza by the slice is cooked in a square pan with plenty of olive oil, but the key difference from other pizzas is in the dough. It's really underrated and I am proud to show the world this recipe!
Sicilian pizza has a thick, spongy, and fluffy dough. Without its toppings, it looks just like focaccia. It’s also a pretty popular street food in Sicily, sold off of food carts and enjoyed on the go.
Sicilian pizza is often confused by another type of "pizza" we eat in Palermo, Sicily which is called "Sfincione" (Italian: [sfinˈtʃoːne]; Sicilian: sfinciuni [sfɪnˈtʃuːnɪ]).
This is basically made with the same dough and the difference really stands for the ingredients. In fact, Sfincione is topped with a special sauce made with onions and anchovies . Rather than a thick layer of melted cheese, Sfincione is topped with a sparing amount of very sharp grated caciocavallo cheese.
I'm thinking of making it one day as soon as I get my hands on the caciocavallo cheese. Here in America, or at least in Southern California, this cheese is found only at Eataly, Italian store. I do not deny that it is expensive but it is very understandable given the import costs and because it is so rare. Basically it is a very salty sharp aged cheese, mainly used to give strong flavor to typical Sicilian dishes.
If you are planning to make Sfincione but you can't find aged caciocavallo, a good Pecorino Romano, sharp aged Provolone, or even Parmigiano-Reggiano will do, I guess. However I will wait to get my hands on my dear old friend caciocavallo to show you the authentic recipe of Sfincione. I think when I go back to Sicily, I'll have to pack a lot of cheese!
What I can show you is another version called "Sfincionello", basically the ones they sell in Palermo as street food. You can find the recipe here.
Sicilian pizza I am about to show you however is simple and easy to make. You can find it only in Palermo because other cities, like I mentioned before have other recipes and way to make it. But this, this is the one you will find in every bakery in Palermo. I promise.
The dough you make can be proofed and made the next day or even on the same day!
The toppings are basic and easy to find: I am using cooked ham, Würstel (hot dogs or wiener), hard mozzarella, mushrooms.
Recommended items to help you make this recipe:
Watch my latest video on Instagram! Leave a like and a comment!
[instagram-feed feed=1]Loosely translated to mean ‘by the cut’, we’re sure you can imagine how this type of pizza is served! Perfect for an on-the-go snack or meal, pizza al taglio is baked in a large rectangular sheet pan which makes for easy slices when cut. While we do love a good selection of toppings, keep in mind that pizza al taglio is sold by weight! It’s a common street food in many Italian cities!
For Sicilian pizza, you have to give the dough extra time to rise, resulting in a softer crust layer that has more in common with Focaccia bread than the standard New York-style pizza.
Like I said before, this dough is the same used to make classic Sicilian Pizza called Sfincione, it's unique in flavor and a really rare gem. Trust me! You're gonna love it!
Let's see what you need to make it!
- 250 g semolina flour (durum wheat)
- 250 g bread flour (high gluten flour)
- 275 g lukewarm water
- 3 g dry yeast
- 30 g extra virgin olive oil
- 20 g sugar
- 10 g salt
- 100 g cooked ham (parmacotto)
- 4 stick wieners
- 50 g tomato sauce
- 70 g hard mozzarella (in cubes)
- 50 g mushrooms (in can)
- 1 pinch (Oregano to taste)
- 1 drizzle (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
In the bowl of the stand mixer, put the sifted flours. Also add sugar and dry yeast and mix well.
Start adding the water a little at a time until it incorporates well with the dry ingredients.
After 4 or 5 minutes at low speed, add the oil and salt and continue to knead for another 8/10 minutes at medium/high speed, until a smooth dough is formed.
Let the dough rest covered with plastic wrap in a large bowl in the oven off with the light on for 2 hours, until doubled in size. Alternatively, let it rise for a long time in the fridge for 7 or 8 hours.
2 hours after doubling, divide the dough into two loaves and spread them on oiled baking trays (medium pan and one small pan) like a focaccia and leave to rise for another 2 hours in the oven off with the light on.
Once the time has elapsed, add the tomato sauce and cook in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 8 minutes until the tomato sauce has become dry.
- Instructions for the toppings:
Remove from the oven and top with mozzarella, wieners and cooked ham.
You can also add mushrooms or artichokes.
Bake for another 5 to 6 minutes at 450 F until browned to your likings!
Remove from the oven and add oregano and extra virgin olive oil.
Let it rest for 5 minutes to cool down a little, then proceed to cut the pizza into square shapes.
Enjoy! Buon appetito!
You can store the pizza wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave and it's ready to go!
As you can see from the photo, the dough is well honeycombed and therefore soft. If there is any left over, Sicilian pizza keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days but can be frozen in portions.
