What Is A Sicilian Pizza?

To all the pizza lovers out there, a warm greeting! We’ll be discussing the Sicilian pizza, a classic among pizza varieties, today. Just what, then, is a Sicilian pizza?

The Sicilian pizza is a renowned pizza style that has gained popularity all over the world and its roots can be traced back to the Italian island of Sicily. To be sure, a Sicilian pizza…

Read on as we delve into the origins and defining features of the classic pizza style known as Sicilian pizza. We’ll talk about how it stands out from the crowd with its rectangular shape, abundant toppings, and light and airy crust.

Furthermore, we’ll talk about how Sicilian pizza differs from other types of pizza, like New York and Naples.

Our article on what is a Sicilian pizza will provide you all the information you need to place a knowledgeable and delicious pizza order, regardless of whether you’re a lifelong fan of Sicilian pizza or just interested about this traditional pizza style. Please stay and I will explain all there is to know about Sicilian pizza!

What is a Sicilian Pizza

Pizza in the Sicilian style has its roots in that region of Italy. It has a thick, airy crust that’s both crispy and chewy, and it’s in the shape of a square. It takes a long time for the dough to rise, normally overnight, after being created using flour, water, salt, yeast, and olive oil.

Traditional Sicilian pizza features tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings like onions, olives, and anchovies, and is baked on a rectangular pan. The sauce is typically made using San Marzano tomatoes, which are cultivated in the volcanic soil around Mount Vesuvius in Italy, and the cheese is typically a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan. Pizza shops may offer a wide variety of toppings, but sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and bell peppers are always good bets.

The doughy, thick crust of a Sicilian pizza keeps its shape even when loaded with toppings. It’s more convenient to share and eat with your hands if it’s cut into squares or rectangles rather than slices. In the New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas, Sicilian pizza is sometimes referred to as “grandma pizza” or “nonna pizza” because of its grandmother-like simplicity.

History of Sicilian Pizza

The origins of Sicilian pizza can be traced back to the 19th century in the southern Italian region of Sicily. Women in the area reportedly came up with it when they wanted to feed their families on a budget using readily available and inexpensive ingredients. The finished product was a thick, fluffy, and stuffed pizza in a rectangle shape.

Gennaro Lombardi opened the first pizzeria in New York City in 1895, and by the turn of the twentieth century, Sicilian pizza had made its way across the Atlantic. Immigrants from Italy brought their favourite pizza recipes to new communities all around the United States.

Little bakeries and pizzerias in Italian-American areas in the New York area contributed to the explosion in popularity of Sicilian pizza. It eventually became a standard at numerous pizza joints all around the United States, albeit with certain regional twists.

Pizza aficionados still hold a special place in their hearts for Sicilian pizza, which is distinguished by its distinctive rectangular form, heavy toppings, and distinctively thick dough. It can be found in pizzerias all around the United States and overseas, either by the slice or as a whole pie.

What kinds of Sicilian Pizza are there?

There are several types of Sicilian pizza, including:

Traditional Sicilian Pizza

Flour, yeast, water, salt, olive oil, and salt are all components of the dough used to create Sicilian pizza. A fluffy crust is the consequence of letting the dough rise for several hours. Canned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt are the standard ingredients for the sauce of a Sicilian pizza. Toppings like onions, anchovies, and cheese are added after the sauce has been smeared over the dough.

Traditional Sicilian pizza often incorporates breadcrumbs as a topping. When the pizza has been assembled with toppings, breadcrumbs are sprinkled on top. The sauce and toppings might leave a pizza’s crust soggy, but the breadcrumbs can help soak up the moisture.

Slices of traditional Sicilian pizza are often square or rectangular since they are baked in a huge rectangular pan. It is a popular dish in Sicily and among Italian-Americans in the United States, where it is eaten both as a snack and a dinner.

New York-style Sicilian Pizza

Typical of New York New York City’s Sicilian pizza is a spin on the original pizza from Sicily that was created by Italian immigrants. It has a thick, doughy crust that is both crispy and chewy on the exterior and soft and tender on the inside.

High-gluten flour, water, yeast, salt, and occasionally sugar or olive oil go into the making of the dough for New York-style Sicilian pizza. The dough is light and airy because it is combined and left to rise for several hours. The dough is pushed into an olive oil-sprayed large rectangular pan after it has risen.

The sauce for a Sicilian pizza cooked in the New York style normally consists of San Marzano tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, and occasionally basil or oregano. Spread the sauce all over the dough, leaving a thin border all the way around. The pizza is then topped with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese, and sometimes other toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, onions, peppers, and mushrooms.

New York-style Sicilian pizza is characterised by its crisp crust. This is accomplished by baking the pizza in an extremely high oven for an extended period of time, which causes the crust to crisp up and the cheese and toppings to melt and become bubbly.

New York fashion Sicilian pizza has become a mainstay of Italian American cuisine and is a huge hit in New York City and across the country. Square slices, rather than the conventional triangular ones, are common when serving it as a main course or as a party snack.

Focaccia-style Sicilian Pizza

Focaccia-style Traditional Sicilian pizza has several variations, but one of the most well-known is Sicilian pizza, which has a light and airy feel like focaccia bread. Pizza dough in the Sicilian focaccia style is created with flour, yeast, water, olive oil, and salt. After letting it rise for a while, it’s formed into a rectangle pan.

Traditional Sicilian pizza uses tomato sauce, although focaccia-style Sicilian pizza does not. Instead, cheese, herbs, veggies, and cured meats are among the many toppings that can be added to the pizza after it has been drizzled with olive oil. Mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, olives, rosemary, and prosciutto are some of the most common toppings for Sicilian pizzas made in the focaccia style.

Light and airy, with a crispy top and soft and chewy interior, focaccia-style Sicilian pizza crust is thin and airy. This is accomplished by rapidly baking the pizza at a high temperature. It’s common practise to add a bit of olive oil and some salt to the pizza when it comes out of the oven.

Focaccia-style Pizza from Sicily is well-liked all over Italy, but especially in Liguria and Campania. In the United States, it has become increasingly popular among Italian-Americans in large cities like New York. It can be served either warm or at room temperature and is perfect for snacking or a light dinner.

Sfincione

Sfincione is a classic style of pizza that has been popular on the Italian island of Sicily for generations. It is a rectangle pizza with a thick dough that features tomato sauce, onions, anchovies, and breadcrumbs.

Sfincione dough has these ingredients: flour, yeast, water, salt, and olive oil. After the dough has been allowed to rise for a while, it will have a fluffy and light consistency. After the dough has doubled in size, it is pushed into a greased rectangle pan.

Recipes for sfincione often call for crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt. Spread the sauce all over the dough, leaving a thin border all the way around. Onions, anchovies, and Pecorino Romano cheese are layered on top of the pizza before baking. To make the crust extra crispy, breadcrumbs are liberally placed on top of the pizza after the sauce and toppings have been added.

The crust of a sfincione should be crisp and golden when it comes out of the oven. When it’s done baking, it’s usually sliced into squares and served as a quick bite or even a full dinner. Sfincione is a popular dish in Sicily that is served at celebrations and events. Several regions of Italy and Italian-American communities in the United States have seen its popularity grow.

Scaccia

The province of Ragusa in southeast Sicily is the birthplace of the classic pizza known as “scaccia.” In the same way that a calzone or stromboli uses a thin layer of dough to enclose a filling of cheese and other ingredients, this dish uses a thin layer of dough to enclose the filling.

Flour, water, yeast, and salt are combined to form the dough for scaccia, which is then rolled out into a thin rectangle. Scaccia is filled with a variety of ingredients including cheeses (usually mozzarella and caciocavallo), tomato sauce, onions, and herbs. Scaccia can be made with a variety of fillings, including cured meats like prosciutto and salami.

One half of the dough is filled, leaving a thin border around the edges. The filling is placed on one side of the dough, and the other half is folded over to form a rectangle. After filling, the dough’s edges are pinched together to prevent leakage.

Scaccia bread gets its signature crispiness and golden colour from being baked at a high temperature. When done baking, the cake is sliced and served either warm or at room temperature. The Sicilian dish known as “scaccia” is a favourite in the province of Ragusa and throughout the rest of the island. Several regions of Italy and Italian-American communities in the United States have seen its popularity grow

Ingredients to make Sicilian Pizza

To make a traditional Sicilian pizza, you will need the following ingredients:

For the dough:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

For the sauce:

• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

For the toppings:

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced pepperoni
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Note: The toppings can be adjusted to your preference. Other popular toppings for Sicilian pizza include sausage, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and anchovies.

How to make Sicilian Pizza

1. Make sure to use bread flour for the dough as it has a higher protein content which results in a chewier crust.
2. Use warm water, around 110°F (43°C), to activate the yeast.
3. When kneading the dough, use the heel of your hand to push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself and repeat. This helps to develop the gluten in the dough.
4. Make sure to cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel while it’s rising to prevent it from drying out.
5. For the tomato sauce, you can use canned crushed tomatoes or passata. You can also add your own favorite herbs and spices to customize the flavor.
6. When spreading the dough in the baking dish, make sure to push it all the way to the edges and corners to create a thick crust.
7. For the cheese, you can use a combination of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan or any other cheese of your choice.
8. To get a crispy crust, place the baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven.
9. Letting the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing it will help the cheese to set and prevent it from sliding off the pizza.
10. Feel free to add your favorite toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, onions, peppers, or mushrooms. Just make sure not to overload the pizza as the thick crust won’t be able to support too much weight.

How is Sicilian Pizza Different From Other Types of Pizza?

Sicilian pizza is different from other types of pizza in a few ways. First, it has a thick, rectangular crust that is crispy on the bottom and chewy on the inside. This is because the dough is made with a high-gluten flour and rises for a longer period of time than other types of pizza.

Second, Sicilian pizza is typically topped with a simple tomato sauce made from crushed tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. This sauce is spread over the dough, and then covered with shredded mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese.

Finally, Sicilian pizza is often baked in a rectangular baking dish, rather than on a round pizza pan. This gives it a distinctive shape and makes it easier to cut into squares, which is how it is typically served.

Why is Sicilian-Style Pizza Popular?

Sicilian-style pizza has gained immense popularity due to its unique combination of flavors, texture, and rich history. Originating from the island of Sicily in Italy, this pizza style is known for its thick, rectangular crust, which offers a perfect balance of crispy and chewy textures. The crust’s thickness allows for a generous layer of toppings, including a hearty tomato sauce, a variety of cheeses, and an assortment of meats and vegetables. The traditional Sicilian pizza, also known as sfincione, features a savory blend of tomatoes, onions, anchovies, and breadcrumbs, creating a burst of flavors that satisfy the taste buds. Additionally, the versatility of Sicilian-style pizza has enabled it to adapt to regional preferences, leading to numerous variations and ensuring its continued popularity worldwide. The combination of its distinctive characteristics, rich history, and adaptability has made Sicilian-style pizza a beloved favorite among pizza enthusiasts across the globe.

Read more:What Is Brooklyn Style Pizza?

FAQs

What is Sicilian pizza?

Originating in Sicily, Italy, the thick, square crust and generous toppings of Sicilian pizza are its defining characteristics.

How is Sicilian pizza different from other types of pizza?

The thick crust of a Sicilian pizza results in a pizza that is often thicker and more substantial than other forms of pizza. In addition to that, it typically has a lot of toppings on it, such as tomato sauce, cheese, and various kinds of meat.

Is Sicilian pizza always square-shaped?

Although there may be changes in size and thickness depending on the pizzeria, classic Sicilian pizza always has a square form. However, the size of the square may vary.

What types of toppings are typically used on Sicilian pizza?

Pizza Sicilian can be topped with a wide variety of ingredients, such as meats, veggies, and cheeses, among other things. Because of the large amounts of toppings that are typically used, it is typically considered to be a more satiating meal than other kinds of pizza.

How is Sicilian pizza served?

Large, square slices of Sicilian pizza are frequently served, and the slices themselves are typically sliced into squares rather than wedges. Moreover, it is occasionally served as a complete pizza that is then cut into rectangles or squares before being served.

Is Sicilian pizza healthier than other types of pizza?

In general, Sicilian pizza is not considered to be a particularly healthy option due to its thick crust and copious toppings, however the nutritional value of Sicilian pizza can vary depending on the toppings that are used and the amount of the quantity that is consumed.

Is Sicilian pizza only available in Sicily?

To the contrary, pizza Siciliana is well-liked in a great many other regions of the world, most notably the United States, where it has developed into a standard menu item at a great number of pizza restaurants.

What is the origin of Sicilian pizza?

It is widely accepted that Sicilian pizza was first created in the Italian region of Sicily, and that it was brought to the United States by Italian immigrants in the early part of the 20th century.

Can I make Sicilian pizza at home?

Yes, it is possible to make authentic Sicilian pizza at home if you have a pan that is deep and rectangular, as well as a recipe for authentic Sicilian pizza dough.

How is Sicilian pizza different from deep-dish pizza?

Sicilian pizza has a thicker crust and is typically served in square slices, while deep-dish pizza has a deep, flaky crust and is served in wedges. Additionally, Sicilian pizza tends to have more toppings, while deep-dish pizza is known for its cheesy and saucy interior.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pizza Sicilian is a special kind of pizza that was first developed in the region of Sicily in Italy. In general, it is distinguished by its thick, rectangular-shaped crust that is crisp on the surface and chewy on the inside. This characteristic gives it its name. In addition to that, the crust is well-known for the copious amounts of cheese and tomato sauce that it contains.

Sicilian pizza is typically prepared using straightforward components like tomatoes, mozzarella, onions, and herbs, and it is typically cut into huge slices before being served. Because it may be personalised with a wide variety of toppings, such as pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and olives, it is a common selection for people who like a pizza with a higher calorie and carbohydrate content.

There are now many pizzerias and Italian restaurants around the United States that serve Sicilian pizza as a result of its widespread popularity across the country. Because of its substantial size and ability to satisfy multiple people at once, it is frequently eaten by groups and families.

In general, Sicilian pizza is a mouthwatering and one-of-a-kind form of pizza that provides a meal that is both satiating and hearty. Those who prefer a more substantial pizza experience often opt for this option due to its substantial dough and abundant toppings. It has become a popular choice in recent years.

Ref:

What is a Sicilian Pizza and what makes it special