Sicilian pizza is a bread lover’s dream. The crust of a pan-baked Sicilian pie is similar to focaccia bread and offers the perfect crunch/chew ratio to support the zesty sauce and melted cheese on top. If you’ve never had a Sicilian slice before, you need to change that ASAP.

The simple definition for Sicilian Pizza is a thick crust pie with cheese and tomato. It is beloved by pizza lovers in the Northeast, but many other US cities and states bake and serve Sicilian slices.

Find the best Sicilian pizza near you and indulge yourself in a satisfying bite.

The Sicilian pizza we enjoy in the US today has a distant Sicilian ancestor from Palermo, Sicily.

And the slices we eat and love today were brought to the United States by Italian (Sicilian to be exact) immigrants in the early 20th century. The pie was adapted to American taste, and soon it became popular throughout the Northeastern and the United States in general.

Sicilian pizza – and its close cousin sfincione – are especially popular in the Northeast. But, no matter where you live, you can find an authentic square near you for delivery or pickup on the Slice app.

What’s in a Sicilian Pizza?

The authentic Sicilian pizza made in Italy is called sfincione, which translates to a thick sponge. It is made with kneaded and proofed dough, topped with tomato sauce. The Sicilian pizza has a rectangle shape and is cut into square slices.

The dough is thick but spongy and fluffy because of the longer proofing time, and it resembles the focaccia bread dough.

The sauce is made with crushed tomatoes, onions, anchovies, herbs, and hard cheese like caciocavallo and toma. Often, the cheese goes on the dough first, and the tomatoes are put on top.

The Sicilian pizza widely spread and loved in the US has some slight differences from the original Sicilian pie. It is made with mozzarella cheese, and instead of crushed tomatoes, it has meatless tomato sauce on top. It can be made as a cheese-less, tomato pie and can have some additional toppings, too.

The dough for the Sicilian pizza is made from high-gluten, high-protein flour, yeast, water, and sugar. Local pizzaiolos knead it and leave it to proof for two, three hours, or more. It is then stretched in a well-oiled squared pan and is usually left to proof again for about 30 minutes.

No rolling or tossing is required.

The cheese is put on the dough first, so it won't burn, and it gets generously covered with tomato sauce. For extra crunchiness, breadcrumbs are added, and the completed pizza gets splashed with more olive oil before baking.

The olive oil on the pan's bottom makes the Sicilian pizza slightly fried and crispy, while the inside of the crust remains soft, chewy, filled with air bubbles.

Even though mozzarella cheese is typically used, some restaurants make the Sicilian pizza with more than one type of cheese, adding Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano.

Vegans can enjoy a Sicilian slice without cheese or with a vegan cheese alternative. Gluten-free Sicilian pizza varieties are made with gluten-free flour.

Sicilian Pizza – nutritional value

A slice of delicious Sicilian Pizza can have from 250 to 500 calories. It is the toppings that make the difference. Try opting for a cheese-less or mozzarella-only Sicilian pie if you are trying to lower the calorie intake. With this simple swap, you will reduce the saturated fats and sodium intake, too.

The calories in the average Sicilian Pizza slice come from carbs (48%), fat (35%), and protein (17%).

Looking for a delicious Sicilian pizza for delivery near you?

Try the mouthwatering Upside-down Sicilian Pizza from Brooklyn Pizza Masters, or the delicious Sicilian squares from Peperino NYC Pizza. Both pizzerias are available for delivery or pickup with the Slice app.