Sicilian pizza () is a style of pizza originating in the Sicily region of Italy. It 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.
Traditional Sicilian pizza is often thick-crusted and rectangular, but can also be round and similar to the Neapolitan pizza. It is often topped with tomatoes, herbs, onions, anchovies, and strong cheese such as caciocavallo and Toma cheese. Other versions do not include cheese.
The Sicilian methods of making pizza are linked to local Sicilian cuisine and country traditions,
Italian varieties
Palermo
Sfincione (or
sfinciuni in Sicilian language) is a very common variety of pizza that originated in the province of Palermo.
Unlike
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.
Syracuse
In the province of Syracuse, especially in
Solarino and
Sortino,
pizzòlu or pizzolo is a type of round stuffed pizza.
[See article on unafinestrasusortino.it ]
Catania
In the Metropolitan City of Catania, the traditional
Scaccia is made in two different ways: a first layer made of
dough covered, within the city, by a local cheese (
Toma cheese) and anchovies or, in the region around Catania, by
,
,
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 Sicilian pizza is a fried
calzone stuffed with cheese and anchovies.
Messina
In the province of Messina, the traditional
piduni is a type 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.
Outside Italy
In the United States, "Sicilian pizza" is used to describe a typically square variety of cheese pizza with dough over an inch thick, a crunchy base, and an airy interior. It is derived from the
sfincione and was introduced in the United States by the first
Italians (Sicilian) immigrants. Sicilian-style pizza is popular in Italian-American enclaves throughout the northeastern United States, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan (which would influence Detroit-style pizza). In some parts of coastal Massachusetts and New Hampshire, it is also known as "
beach pizza" because of its prevalence along the Route 1A corridor.
[Selinger, H. (13 June 2019). "New England Beach Pizza Is Not Very Good. Everyone Should Try It". Eater. Retrieved 23 January 2020.]
See also
