SFINCIUNI, PALERMO STYLE

What is this? Sfinciuni means "old woman's face" in Sicilian, probably because the finished bread looks wrinkled. The sfincione is flat soft bread with few condiments. It smells of fresh bread, onions, tomato, anchovies, cheese and toasted breadcrumbs. It goes back in time to before the Greeks controlled Sicily. The sfincione was plain bread that working people would take to work. One of my favorite things. I could eat an entire pan of it by myself. Pizza does not come even close to this flavor so don't think it will.

Bagheria Style is considered the sfincione more similar to the original recipe. It is made with olive oil, anchovies, primosale, a fresh cheese and breadcrumbs mixed with grated pecorino, chopped scallions and oregano. 

Sfincione alla Palermitana  for one.

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                        DOUGH

Mix country white for the bread machine.  Use the 120 minute dough cycle.  As soon as it is mixed and goes off, take out the dough and work it  for a minute on a floored  board.  (Or make your own pizza dough)

Oil bowl. Place the dough in it. Turn so the oil side is up. Cover with wet cloth. Place in warm place.  (Oven with light on.)  Wait till it doubles.  (1 hour?) Push down. Take out and place on OILED oblong cake pan. Spread. Cover with wet cloth. Let rise again. When it is doubled again, it is ready for the sauce and topping.   

Preheat over to 425. 
**********************SAUCE*******************

Sauté for 3 minutes to 5 minutes.
            2 to 4 T   olive oil
            1    large onion, chopped small

Add      1   can    anchovies, broken up  (paste is okay)

            4      large  ripe tomatoes, skinned, chopped, seeded

         1/4  cup   parsley, minced  ( or less.)
            1  T      oregano

          1/2  t      salt

Cook for 5 to 8 minutes.   

Cool it for several minutes.
Spread sauce over dough.  

NOTE:  If your fresh roma tomatoes were not so good like mine were today, you can add a big tablespoon of tomato paste.  Tomato sauce will work too.  There should be a mild red color in the topping.  Not like a real tomato sauce.

DO NOT OVERCOOK.

Use a spoon so you don’t compress the raised dough. 

Gently place spoonfuls around the dough.  
Take care not to put too much oil on it.

                 

          *******************TOPPING***************

1/2 cup         Italian bread crumbs 

( I use them.)  or grated cheese,or BOTH.

Olive oil       A few tablespoons. 
(anchovies come in it usually)

Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Spread evenly over dough on top of the chopped tomatoes etc….

Bake for 19 minutes at 425 degrees.     Check at 17 minutes. 

Serve hot.   


Pan photo before adding breadcrumbs.
Then last one of baked bread.            

Serves:    6