Sicilian Sfincione Pizza With Onions And Breadcrumbs

Imperial June 2, 2026June 2, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 12 square slices
Prep Time: 35 minutes active, plus 2 hours 30 minutes rising
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Dough: 4 cups bread flour, 1/3 cup fine semolina flour, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 2/3 cups warm water, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
Sauce: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 large yellow onions, 8 anchovy fillets, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping: 6 ounces caciocavallo cheese, 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon grated caciocavallo or pecorino, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pan: 2 tablespoons olive oil for a 13 by 18-inch rimmed sheet pan

Do This

1. Mix the dough ingredients, knead until soft and tacky, then let rise for 1 hour 30 minutes.
2. Cook sliced onions in olive oil for 15 minutes, then melt in anchovies and add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
3. Simmer the sauce for 18 to 20 minutes until thick; cool slightly.
4. Oil a 13 by 18-inch sheet pan, stretch in the dough, rest 15 minutes, then stretch to the corners and rise 45 minutes.
5. Scatter diced caciocavallo over the dough, spoon on the onion-tomato sauce, and sprinkle with seasoned breadcrumbs.
6. Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are browned, the bottom is crisp, and the top is deeply fragrant.
7. Rest for 10 minutes, cut into 12 squares, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Thick, tender, and airy: The dough bakes up spongy like focaccia, with a crisp olive-oil bottom.
Big Sicilian flavor: Sweet onions, savory anchovies, oregano, tomato, breadcrumbs, and caciocavallo create the classic sfincione balance.
Great for sharing: One sheet pan makes 12 generous square slices, perfect for family dinners, parties, or casual weekends.
Delicious at room temperature: Sfincione is wonderfully forgiving, so it is ideal for making ahead.

Grocery List

Produce: 2 large yellow onions
Dairy: 6 ounces caciocavallo cheese, plus 1 tablespoon extra grated caciocavallo or pecorino for the breadcrumb topping if desired
Pantry: Bread flour, fine semolina flour, instant yeast, sugar, olive oil, fine sea salt, kosher salt, anchovy fillets packed in oil, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, coarse fresh breadcrumbs

Full Ingredients

For the Spongy Sicilian Dough

4 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled, about 500 g
1/3 cup fine semolina flour, about 55 g
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 standard packet, about 7 g
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 2/3 cups warm water, 105°F to 110°F, about 395 ml
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

For the Onion, Tomato, and Anchovy Topping

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced, about 1 pound total
8 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if needed

For the Cheese and Breadcrumb Finish

6 ounces caciocavallo cheese, divided: 4 ounces cut into small 1/2-inch cubes or thin slices, and 2 ounces coarsely grated
1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs, about 60 g
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated caciocavallo or pecorino, optional but recommended
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

For the Pan

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the pan

Sicilian Sfincione Pizza With Onions And Breadcrumbs – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix the dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, semolina flour, instant yeast, and sugar. Add the warm water and olive oil, then mix with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Sprinkle in the fine sea salt and continue mixing until there are no dry patches.

Knead the dough in the bowl or on a lightly oiled counter for 5 to 7 minutes. The dough should be soft, stretchy, and tacky, not stiff. If it sticks aggressively to your hands, rub your hands with a little olive oil rather than adding lots of extra flour. A wetter dough is what gives sfincione its thick, open, spongy texture.

Step 2: Let the dough rise until puffy

Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside. Turn the dough once so it is lightly coated with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a reusable cover, or a damp clean kitchen towel. Let it rise at warm room temperature for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until it has roughly doubled in size and looks airy and relaxed.

If your kitchen is cool, place the covered bowl in an unheated oven with the oven light on, or let it rise for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. The dough should look visibly expanded before you move on.

Step 3: Cook the onion, tomato, and anchovy sauce

While the dough rises, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and lightly golden at the edges. Lower the heat if they begin to brown too quickly; you want sweet, tender onions rather than crisp ones.

Add the chopped anchovy fillets and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, pressing them into the onions with the back of a spoon until they melt into the oil. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and kosher salt.

Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and no longer looks watery. It should be spoonable and chunky, not loose like pasta sauce. Taste carefully; anchovies and caciocavallo add salt, so only add more salt if the sauce tastes flat. Remove from the heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Step 4: Prepare the pan and stretch the dough

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 13 by 18-inch rimmed sheet pan and spread it over the bottom and into the corners. Transfer the risen dough to the pan. With lightly oiled fingers, gently press and stretch the dough outward. If it springs back, stop and let it rest for 15 minutes uncovered, then continue stretching until it reaches the edges and corners of the pan.

Try not to flatten all the air out of the dough. Use your fingertips in a gentle dimpling motion, like making focaccia. The dough should fill the pan in an even layer, with a few natural bubbles across the surface.

Step 5: Second rise and preheat the oven

Cover the pan loosely and let the dough rise for 45 minutes, until puffy and slightly jiggly when the pan is moved. During the last 25 minutes of this rise, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven so the bottom of the sfincione can crisp properly.

If you have a baking steel or pizza stone, place it on the lower rack while the oven preheats. This is optional, but it helps create a more deeply browned bottom crust.

Step 6: Add the cheese, sauce, and breadcrumbs

Scatter the 4 ounces of cubed or thinly sliced caciocavallo evenly over the risen dough. Spoon the cooled onion-tomato sauce over the top, spreading it gently all the way to the edges. Do not press hard; you want the sauce to sit on the dough without deflating it.

In a small bowl, combine the coarse fresh breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 ounces grated caciocavallo, the optional 1 tablespoon grated caciocavallo or pecorino, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Toss with your fingers until the crumbs are lightly coated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the sauce.

Step 7: Bake until crisp-edged and deeply aromatic

Bake at 425°F on the lower-third rack for 25 to 30 minutes. The sfincione is done when the edges are browned, the breadcrumbs are toasted, the cheese is melted into the sauce, and the bottom crust is crisp and golden. To check the bottom, carefully lift one corner with a spatula; it should look browned and sturdy, not pale.

If the top browns before the bottom is done, loosely tent the pan with foil for the final 5 minutes. If the bottom needs more color, bake for 3 to 5 minutes longer, checking often.

Step 8: Rest, slice, and serve

Let the sfincione rest in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting. This short rest helps the crumb set and keeps the sauce from sliding off. Slice into 12 squares and serve warm or at room temperature. For the most classic experience, serve it as thick square pieces with the rustic breadcrumb topping facing up and the spongy interior clearly visible.

Pro Tips

Use a generous amount of olive oil in the pan: It may look like a lot, but it gives sfincione its signature crisp, lightly fried bottom crust.
Keep the sauce thick: A watery sauce can make the center heavy. Simmer it until it mounds slightly on a spoon.
Do not skip the anchovies: They melt into the onions and add savory depth, not a fishy flavor. If you are nervous, start with 5 fillets instead of 8.
Let the dough relax if it fights you: Stretching in two rounds is easier and protects the airy structure.
Fresh breadcrumbs are best: Tear day-old bread and pulse it into coarse crumbs. Dry, powdery crumbs will not give the same rustic crunch.

Variations

No caciocavallo available: Use aged provolone, mild provolone, or a mix of provolone and pecorino. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Extra oniony sfincione: Use 3 large onions and cook them slowly for 20 minutes before adding the anchovies and tomatoes.
Vegetarian-style version: Omit the anchovies and add 1 tablespoon capers plus 1 teaspoon white miso or olive tapenade to the sauce for salty depth.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover sfincione in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat slices on a baking sheet at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp on the bottom. You can also enjoy it at room temperature, which is very traditional for this style of Sicilian pizza.

To make ahead, prepare the sauce up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it. The dough can be mixed and refrigerated after the first rise for up to 24 hours; let it sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before stretching it into the pan. Baked sfincione can be frozen in individual squares for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)