My new year started with little difficulties, yes I was sick with flu the whole time last week, I had upwards of 103 °F fever for two days, and hit the 105 F for a brief period. I also suffered through very bad backache and headache. On one of the days I fainted and hit my head resulting in a hole in the wall and wound in the forehead. I even told hubby that I am going to faint, and before he could help me, I fell down unconscious. Yes this Flu is a real bad one; it makes your body very weak. Trust me the taste buds stops working. But then again I wanted to do something to try to get better, for the 15th of the month for “Baking Partners Challenge” I needed to bake either a New Year’s pizza or pizza sfincione or a New Year pretzels. Finally I started feeling better the last weekend and made this pizza as my kids love pizza.
This month’s “Baking Partners Challenge” was suggested by Sweatha of Tasty curry leaf. Pizza sfincione or Sicilian newyear’s pizza is different from the regular pizza. It has sauce made with onions and mushroom and tomato and then topped with Caciocavallo cheese.It also have anchovies. Caciocavallo is a sheep's milk cheese from Sicily. If you can’t find it, use Parmigiano-Reggiano. I used havarti cheese as I had it in my hand. Also it tastes similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano. Then finally pizza is topped with bread crumbs. My little girl also helped me with the topping.
The recipe I used is from King Arthur flour, first I made the pizza dough with yeast. Since I don’t have the pizza dough enhancer in my hand, I made a homemade one with dry parmesan cheese, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Once the dough doubled in volume, it is spread it into a rectangle. While the dough is doubling in volume made the sauce using onion, mushroom and tomato. I didn’t use canned tomato. I think fresh is always best. Then topped the pizza with sauce and then grated havarti cheese and little mozzarella about a tablespoon. Then spread it with panko bread crumbs. I reduce the amount of bread crumbs from the original recipe.
Baked at 425 °F for 30 minutes, pizza Sfincione is really delicious, crispy; they taste great when it is really warm.
Give it try; you can reduce the amount of breadcrumbs if you don’t like it. Add a little amount otherwise this will be normal pizza not pizza sfincione. Here comes the recipe. If you are interested to bake with us next month shoot an e-mail and also take a look other baking partner’s creations.
Delicious pizza sfincione with homemade sauce and Havarti cheese and bread crumbs
Ingredients
- 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon parmesan cheese powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water*
- *Use the lesser amount in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate), and somewhere in between the rest of the year, or if your house is climate controlled
- 2 large sweet onions
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 5 button mushroom
- 2 teaspoons Pizza Seasoning, optional
- 1 tablespoon shredded mozzarella
- 2 cups of Havarti cheese, shredded
- 1 cup coarse dried bread crumbs, such as Panko
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning, optional
Instructions
- To make the crust: Combine all of the ingredients and mix and knead to make smooth, soft dough, using a stand mixer, bread machine, or your hands.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large 8-cup measure (or leave it in the bread machine), and let it rise till it's very puffy, about 90 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings. Start by peeling and slicing the onions,
- and frying them with a bit of olive oil till they're golden brown. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Midway through add mushrooms and fry for another 6 minutes.
- To this add chopped tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes. To this add chili powder, salt, pepper powder and pizza seasoning.
- Stir together the bread crumbs, oil, and Pizza Seasoning, if you're using it. Set it aside.
- Spray a large rimmed baking sheet (a 13" x 18" half sheet pan is perfect) with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Drizzle it with olive oil, tilting the pan so the oil spreads out a bit.
- Gently deflate the risen dough, and stretch it into an oval in your hands. Plop the oval onto the baking sheet, and press it towards the edges. When it starts to fight back, walk away for 15
- minutes.
- When you return, you should be able to press it to the edges and nearly into the corners. If you can't, give it another short rest, and try again. You want the dough to cover as much of the pan's bottom as possible (without making yourself too crazy about it).
- Cover the dough, and let it rise till puffy, about 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Uncover the dough, Then spread the tomato/onion sauce.
- Then spread a layer of Havarti and mozzarella cheese.
- Top with the bread crumbs.
- Bake the pizza for 35 minutes or until the crust and crumbs are brown. Remove it from the oven, and serve it hot or warm. Hint: to prevent a soggy bottom crust, cut the pizza in half crosswise, and then lift each half onto a cooling rack. Cut individual slices with a pair of scissors.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from here Copyright ©2015 Zesty South Indian Kitchen by Swathi(Ambujom Saraswathy) All Rights Reserved.
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Liz says
Thanks for sharing! Looks delicious, and I agree - fresh tomatoes are always best when you can find them in season.
Reeni says
How terrible! I hope you're completely recovered from being so sick! Your pizza looks delicious! I have made thi s one before and could eat it every day.
Balvinder says
I have never seen such a pizza, my daughter will love it.
Nalini Somayaji says
love love lovely Pizza ...me drolling here Swathi Iyer...
Suja Manoj says
Love the topping Pizza looks yummy
Catherine says
Dear Swathi, I am so sorry to hear you had to start the year off with a cold. You have to be so careful when you hit your head, so take it easy. I hope you are feeling better now. This pizza looks wonderful. I wish I had a slice. Thank you for all your sweet comments. It is so nice to hear from you my dear friend. xo, Catherine
padma says
Very tempting pizza...loved it:) Hope you are feeling better now:)
Hope to see you soon at my space...
http://www.masalakorb.com
sherin says
Novel recipe dear. I remember when we visited Rome their street food was pizzas similar to this served in long rectangles as opposed to the common quarters.
Rani Vijoo says
Perfect and yummy pizza, hope you are feeling good Swathi.
Take care
Rani vijoo
marudhuskitchen says
Wonderfully gorgeous pizza..and take care of your health
Choc Chip Uru says
Sorry to hear you had been so unwell! That does sound painful!
But hope you are feeling better and enjoy your delicious pizza dish, I wouldn't mind giving it a try 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Mullai Madavan says
Luv the Sicilian style pizza with crumb topping, can I have one?
Easyfoodsmith says
Glad you are better. The pizza sounds wonderful and I am definitely going to try it soon.
Anupama says
wonderful pizza. perfect afternoon snack...hope you are feeling better...my 2015 hasn't made a great beginning either ... tk care..
Sundari says
hope u are better now.. yummy pizza!!
sona says
Delicious looking pizza.. Would love to try this sometime.
Gourmet Getaways says
Ah, what a perfect snack Swathi! Time to veer away from the regular pizza. Tasty Sfincione for an afternoon snack!!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
skd says
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe
skd says
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe
Sanoli Ghosh says
Loved the detailed documentation. Wonderful pizza sfincione, love to have a bite now......:)
Subha says
Yummy Pizza Sfincione Swathi..Loved the topping and even the plate. Hope you are feeling better by now. Take care..
julie says
yummy n tasty pizza,loved the crumb topping 🙂
linsy says
Love Sicilian pizza and this Looks very tempting
Sangeetha Priya says
Yummy Pizza sfincione Swathi, you made it perfect!!!