Sicilian pizza

Sicilian pizza is a style of pizza associated with Sicily, Italy, and also with a square, thick-crust pizza popular in the United States.

Sicilian pizza is a style of pizza associated with Sicily, Italy, and also with a square, thick-crust pizza popular in the United States. In Sicily, the traditional form is often linked to sfincione, a rectangular, bread-like pizza that commonly uses tomatoes, onions, anchovies, and hard local cheese, while cheese may be omitted in some versions. In North America, “Sicilian pizza” usually means a thick, square pan pizza with a crisp bottom and airy interior.

Origins

Sicilian pizza originated in Sicily and was a common dish there by the mid-19th century. Traditional accounts identify sfincione as the older Sicilian form, especially associated with Palermo.

Traditional Sicilian style

The Sicilian version is usually thick-crusted and often rectangular, though round versions exist. It is commonly topped with tomato, onions, anchovies, herbs, and cheeses such as caciocavallo or toma, though some versions omit cheese.

American Sicilian pizza

In the United States, Sicilian pizza usually refers to a square or rectangular pan pizza with a thick crust, crisp bottom, and airy interior. It is commonly cut into square slices and is often made in a style similar to other American pan pizzas.

Relation to sfincione

Sfincione is widely described as the traditional Sicilian ancestor of Sicilian-style pizza. Some modern descriptions treat the American version as an adaptation of sfincione rather than a direct copy of the Sicilian original.