Palermo's sfincione 

This story can only begin with the abbanniata (from the verb bandire or to give public notice aloud) that is usually heard on the streets of Palermo thanks to the help of megaphones that the street vendors, called sfincionari, place on the roof of their Ape to attract the most colorful clientele. Students, housewives, office workers, the elderly, are all seduced by the "ru ciavuru" (perfume) that is released on the street upon the arrival of this man and his merchandise displayed beyond the windows set up at the back of his vehicle. In the case of sale on the street, however, we speak of sfincionello, an oblong-shaped sfincione and even softer thanks to the presence of lard but also smaller in size than the classic pan sold in bakeries. Whether we are talking about sfincione or sfincionello, this product in both cases is synonymous with Palermo and is the undisputed king of the city's street food, recognized and appreciated even beyond the border so much so that it is present in the list of Traditional Agri-Food Products of the Ministry of Agriculture.

ingredients for the base

425 gr. flour 

75 gr. durum wheat semolina

20 gr. granulated sugar

10 gr. salt

25 gr. olive oil

12 gr. fresh brewer's yeast

250 ml. of water at room temperature

ingredients for the dressing

500 gr. white onions

800 gr. diced tomato pulp

3 anchovies in oil

Olive oil to taste

100 gr. of natural water

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Oregano to taste

Pepper to taste

ingredients for the garnish

Fresh caciocavallo cheese cubes to taste

Anchovies in oil to taste

Breadcrumbs to taste

Grated caciocavallo cheese to taste

Oregano

Olive oil

Procedure 

Pour the two flours into the mixer, mix them, operate it and pour the water in small doses in which we have dissolved the yeast and sugar. When the dough is still a little rough, add the oil, after a while add the salt and continue to knead until it comes off the walls of the mixer. Transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface, knead a little more by hand but not too much, form a ball and cover it with a bowl letting it rest for 10 minutes. After this time, make a few reinforcing folds, roll it (swirl it in your hands) and once it has taken on a spherical shape, place it in a container, covering it with plastic wrap and placing a tea towel on top. Let it rest for three hours in the oven with the light off. Cut the onions into thin slices, add 100 gr. of water and let them wilt over low heat. When the water has been absorbed, add plenty of olive oil and as soon as it begins to brown, add the three anchovies that we will melt completely. At this point we add 800 ml. of tomato pulp (the one in cubes in tin), salt, a little sugar and cook for about 20 minutes until the sauce acquires a soft consistency. At this point, let it cool. After three hours from the leavening, oil a baking pan, moisten your hands with oil, roll out the dough starting from the center and spread it towards the edges. If it makes a little resistance or tends to retract, let it rest for a few minutes and then resume spreading it. Spread small pieces of caciocavallo cheese on the surface, applying a little pressure, small pieces of anchovies and pour the sauce with a ladle, leveling it evenly with a spoon. We will have to put a little more seasoning on the edges as they are the ones that will tend to dry out during cooking. Place in the oven with the light off and let rise for another hour. After this time, take the pan out of the oven and set it aside in a dry place, turn it on at 200 degrees in static mode and as soon as it is hot, place it for 5 minutes on the base of the oven. Now move the pan halfway by placing it on a wire rack and bake for another 15 minutes or so. At this point, take it out of the oven once again, sprinkle breadcrumbs on the surface without exaggerating, sprinkle with olive oil evenly and sprinkle with grated caciocavallo cheese and a little oregano also in this case without exaggerating. Bake for another 10 minutes. Let the sfincione cool down out of the oven before cutting and serving. 

Good to know!

Leavening depends a lot on the heat of the surrounding environment. Considering that the sfincione should not be particularly high, after the second leavening, if it should appear excessively swollen, prick it evenly with the tip of a knife. At this point we turn on the oven and continue as in the recipe step.