Fabrizia Lanzas Sicilian Pizza Sfincione Food

FABRIZIA LANZA'S SICILIAN PIZZA (SFINCIONE)

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, put 1 cup lukewarm water and yeast. Add semolina and stir to make a thin paste. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, until bubbly.
• Add flour, salt and olive oil, and mix until dough becomes a rough mass. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Dust with flour as needed, but don't add much: This is meant to be a soft dough. Put kneaded dough in a resealable plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, up to 24 hours.
• Make the sauce: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, and raise heat to high. Simmer briskly until all the water has evaporated and onions are soft. Add tomato purée and bring to a simmer, then turn off heat. Season with salt and pepper, and add red pepper to taste. Allow mixture to cool, then stir in bread crumbs, grated cheese and anchovies. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Remove dough from refrigerator and press down to deflate. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough to a small rectangle.
• Transfer dough to oiled baking sheet, and, using the palms of your hands, stretch dough to the edges. If dough is rebellious and resists, let it rest for a few minutes, then stretch again. (It may take 2 or 3 attempts.) Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and set in a warm place to rise. After 30 minutes or so, dough should have doubled in thickness.
• Spoon the topping evenly over the dough, then use a spatula or the back of the spoon to spread the topping smoothly over entire surface, leaving a half-inch border. Drizzle surface with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes on the oven's middle shelf, until nicely browned. Check the underside to make sure it is crisp, and bake for a few more minutes if necessary. (Tent top with foil if top has browned too quickly.)
• Remove from pan to a cutting board. Sprinkle with a little salt and a large pinch of oregano. Cut into 8 square slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SICILIAN PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and the yeast in a medium bowl. Pour the warm water into a large bowl, then add the flour mixture and stir until combined. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil to make a very sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until the dough comes together and no longer sticks to your fingers, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Coat an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the dough and stretch it to fit the baking sheet. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until puffy, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Make the sauce: Combine the tomatoes and their juices and the salt in a medium bowl and crush well with your hands or a potato masher. Uncover the dough and sprinkle with salt. Gently place the baking sheet in the oven (the dough might deflate if it is knocked). Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, top with the sliced mozzarella and cover with 2 cups of the crushed tomatoes. Bake until the cheese is bubbling through the sauce and starts browning, 15 to 20 more minutes.
• Let the pizza stand 10 minutes, then remove from the pan using a spatula and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes before slicing.

SFINCIONE SICILIANO PIZZA

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Stir the cold water and salt into the yeast mixture and gradually stir in flour until the mixture pulls together into dough. Remove dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes, until a smooth tight ball can be formed. Dust the dough with flour and place in a sealed container or resealable bag with plenty of extra room. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, and up to 3 days.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). This will take a while. Stretch out the dough and press into a large oiled baking sheet. The dough should feel cold to the touch. Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough so that it will rise evenly without having giant bubbles.
• Toast the breadcrumbs in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown; set aside. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, pine nuts and raisins.
• To assemble the pizza, arrange anchovy fillets evenly over the dough. Spread the tomato sauce heavily over the entire crust. Sprinkle liberally with toasted bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Allow the dough to rise near the warm oven for about 30 minutes.
• Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is golden brown when you lift it up to look. Cut into 12 servings and enjoy.