Sfincione Bagherese (White Sfincione from Bagheria)

Sfincione Bagherese is a Sicilian style pizza made with a thick spongy dough covered with anchovies, tuma cheese, ricotta and golden sautéed onions all topped with a layer of crispy breadcrumbs and caciocavallo cheese. The perfect balance of flavors and textures in one bite! Make this recipe with my easy no knead pizza dough recipe.

What is sfincione?

Sfincione is a Sicilian style pizza (although Sicilians will say it is not a pizza) with a thick and fluffy focaccia style crust. Sfincione, also called sfinciuni in the Sicilian dialect, means sponge.

Instead of the traditional mozzarella topping, sfincione is covered with a crispy breadcrumb, grated cheese and oregano mixture. The result is a wonderfully satisfying crunch with every bite!

There are two popular varieties of sfincione in Sicily: the popular tomato sauce and onion topped sfincione of Palermo and this version from the town of Bagheria, located just a few kilometers from Palermo.

Sfincione from Bagheria is characterized by it's absence of tomato sauce and instead is topped with, not one, but two typically Sicilian cheeses as well as a layer of sautéed onions before the traditional breadcrumb topping.

Here's why you need to try this recipe!

The result is the most satisfying pizzas with the perfect balance of flavors and textures you've ever tried!

Just imagine a thick, sponge like crust with a wonderful crusty exterior; the mild, creamy layer of tuma and ricotta cheese, the saltiness of the occasional bite of anchovy, the sweet onions and the satisfying crunch of crispy breadcrumbs on top. Need I say more?

Oh, and one more detail. You can make this sfincione with very little effort with my easy no knead pizza dough recipe! Just stir all ingredients together and forget about it until the following day.

Which types of cheese are needed to make this recipe?

The traditional cheeses for making this sfincione are tuma, ricotta and caciocavallo.

• Tuma (see image below) is a soft cheese which is actually a stage in the process of making Pecorino cheese before it is salted and aged.
• It may also be substituted with Primo Sale, a fresh cheese quite typical of Sicily and often made with sheep's milk may also be used.
• If you don't have the fortune to have access to these wonderful Italian cheeses, try substituting mozzarella or mild provolone cheese instead.

• Ricotta is added in dollops over the layer of tuma cheese. I use a whole milk ricotta. If the brand of ricotta you purchse is particularly watery, be sure to drain it. If it is too wet your dough will turn out soggy.

• Caciocavallo is a harder cheese with a saltier bite to it, although in my opinion not as salty as Pecorino Romano cheese.
• If you don't have access to caciocavallo use Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese instead. However, I recommend reducing the amount to ½ cup.

What type of pan is best for making white sfincione?

I used a 9 x 13 inch pan that is 2 inches high. A pan with high sides is definitely a must as you can see by the photos, the dough does puff up white nicely!

Unfortunately, I was unable to locate a link for the exact pan I used, however this pan is quite similar.

No matter which pan you use, be sure to grease it generously.

Topping ingredients

• Anchovies: packed in oil. Use as many as you like!
• Tuma cheese
• Ricotta cheese
• Onions
• Breadcrumbs from day old bread, crusts removed. I pulse mine in a food processor until I have coarse crumbs.
• Caciocavallo cheese: shredded
• Oregano
• Black pepper
• Olive oil: lots of it for sautéing the onions, breadcrumbs and to grease the pan

The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.

Step by step Instructions

Prepare the dough

• Follow my recipe for easy no knead pizza dough until step #6 until the dough is shaped into a ball and rests for an additional hour.

Prepare the toppings

Sauté the onions:

• Thinly slice three onions and sauté in olive oil. When they begin to release some of their water, add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and a pinch of salt. Cook on low heat for about 15 minutes until the onions are soft and golden. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the breadcrumb mixture:

• Wipe the pan you used to sauté onions. Add breadcrumbs to the dry pan and toast on medium heat until they are lightly browned and fragrant.
• Pour in olive oil and sauté a minute or two until crisp. Add black pepper, as desired.
• Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Once cooled stir in grated caciocavallo cheese and oregano. Set aside

For the tuma cheese:

• Slice the tuma into roughly ½ cm slices. Pat dry with a paper towel.

To Assemble:

• Generously grease the bottom and sides of your pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the pan and use your fingers to stretch it out to cover the pan.
• Top with anchovies.
• Cover the entire surface with the sliced tuma cheese.
• Add ricotta in dollops all over the surface.
• Evenly distribute the sautéed onions over the ricotta.
• Top with the breadcrumb/caciocavallo mixture.
• Cover with a clean dish cloth and let rest for one hour.

Bake

• About fifteen minutes before the resting period is done, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bake the sfinicone for 35 minutes until the top is crisp and golden brown. If after about 25 minutes of baking the top is sufficiently browned, cover loosely with foil for the remaining time.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let sit for about ten minutes before transferring the sfincione to the rack to continue cooling.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Check out more delicious no knead pizza dough recipes!

• Olive and Cheese Buns
• Chicory, Egg and Cheese Stuffed Pizza
• Mortadella, Pistachio and Mozzarella Stuffed Rolls
• No Knead Fig and Walnut Bread
• No Knead Fig and Rosemary Focaccia
• Parigina Pizza
• Fried Pizza dough (pizza fritta)
• No Knead Skillet Focaccia Bread
• Paprika and Garlic Herb Bread
• Homemade Pizza Rolls with Ham and Cheese
• Scacciata with Cauliflower and Black Olives
• Scacciata with Potato and Sausage
• Focaccia Messinese

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