Sicilian pizza is pizza prepared in a manner that originated in Sicily, Italy. In the United States, the phrase Sicilian pizza is often synonymous with thick-crust pizza derived from the Sicilian sfincione [sfi?'t?o:ne].
Video Sicilian pizza
History
It is believed that Sicilian pizza, also known as sfincione or focaccia with toppings. This type of pizza became a popular dish in western Sicily by the mid-19th century and was the type of pizza usually consumed in Sicily until the 1860s. The version with tomatoes was not available prior to the 17th century. It eventually reached America in a slightly altered form, with thicker crust and a rectangular shape.
Maps Sicilian pizza
In Sicily
Traditional Sicilian pizza is often thick crusted and rectangular, but also round and similar to the Neapolitan pizza. It is often topped with onions, anchovies, tomatoes, herbs and strong cheese such as caciocavallo and toma. Other versions do not include cheese. The Sicilian methods of making pizza are linked to local culture and country traditions, so there are differences in preparing pizza even among the Sicilian regions of Palermo, Catania, Siracusa and Messina.
The sfincione (or sfinciuni in Sicilian language) is a very common variety of pizza that originated in the province of Palermo. Unlike the more familiar Neapolitan pizza, it is typically rectangular, with more dough, sauce and cheese. An authentic recipe often calls for herbs, onion, tomato sauce, strong cheese and anchovies. The sauce is sometimes placed on top of the toppings to prevent it from soaking into the thick dough.
In the province of Siracusa, especially in Solarino and Sortino, the pizzòlu is a kind of round stuffed pizza.
In the province of Catania the traditional scacciata is made in two different ways: a first layer made of dough covered, within the city, by a local cheese (tuma) and anchovies or, in the region around Catania, by potatoes, sausages, broccoli, and tomato sauce. In both cases a second layer of dough brushed with eggs covers everything. Also in the region of Catania, in Zafferana Etnea and in Viagrande a typical pizza siciliana is a fried calzone stuffed with cheese and anchovies.
In the province of Messina, the traditional piduni is a kind of calzone stuffed with endive, toma cheese, tomato and anchovies. There is also the focaccia alla messinese, prepared with tomato sauce, toma cheese, vegetables and anchovies.
In the United States
In the United States, a Sicilian pizza is typically a square pizza with dough over an inch thick, a crunchy base, and an airy interior. It is derived from the sfinciuni and was introduced in the United States by the first Italian (Sicilian) immigrants. Sicilian-style pizza is popular in Italian-American enclaves throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan, Oregon, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.
Tomato pie
In some Sicilian-American and Southern Italian-American communities in the Northeastern United States, Italian tomato pie is a type of pizza resembling sfincione.. The basic recipe for tomato pie calls for a thick, porous, focaccia-like dough covered with tomato sauce, which is sprinkled with grated romano cheese. It is not usually served straight from the oven, but allowed to cool and then consumed at room temperature or reheated. Like Sicilian pizza, tomato pie is baked in a large rectangular pan and served in square slices. This kind of tomato pie is popular in south and northeast Philadelphia and Utica, New York
In Trenton, New Jersey and the surrounding area, Trenton tomato pie refers to a circular thin-crust pizza with the cheese is applied directly to the dough, with tomato sauce above the cheese rather than below it.
Gallery
See also
- Tomato pie
- Pizza al taglio
- Neapolitan pizza
- Detroit-style pizza
- List of Sicilian dishes
- List of pizza varieties by country
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