The New York Times: 36 Hours in Palermo, Sicily

Credit Andrea Wyner for The New York Times

Credit Andrea Wyner for The New York Times

Ingrid K. Williams of the NYTimes tore it up in Palermo on her 36 hour adventure. Dear Ingrid, thank you so much for coming to our city!  Our favorite part of her article is when she says:

"Palermo’s diverse street food — from arancine (fried rice balls) to stigghiola (barbecued intestines) — is legendary. For variety and a modicum of comfort, head to Nni Franco u’ Vastiddaru, a street-food restaurant with plastic tables and chairs on an adjacent piazza. The specialty is panelle, rectangular fritters of chickpea flour, served on a seeded bun. Pair that with the fritti misti, a mix of arancine and croquettes, or the pani ca’ meusa, a cheesy spleen sandwich. Dinner for two, about 20 euros."

Yes! Dinner for two about 20 euro. Affordable good food. That is Palermo! 

The Palermo Street Food Game

We at Palermo Street Food are always up for special requests and this special request tour was one of the BEST TOURS we have ever done. It was a blast! An amazing time! We had so much fun!

The Palermo Street Food Game is a fantastic way to get to know the street food in Palermo while bonding with your friends and co-workers. 

This is how the game works. We break your group up into to teams, "Stigghiola Team" and "Polpo Team." The two teams are paired with a local guide and have to complete a series of street food eating experiences around the city, kind of like an edible scavenger hunt.

But, everyone must listen carefully to their guide, because the winner is determined by a test of street food knowledge.  After all the items on the list have been completed, everyone meets back at the home base for the question challange.

The winners of this game were Team Polpo. The question that they answered for the win: Which was the Sicilian King that asked to change some of the original ingredients in the arancina to make it more useful for hunting? 

The answer? We're not going to tell! 

After the winner was named, we spent the rest of the evening eating and drinking in Vucciria to celebrate!

Ainsley Harriott & Palermo Street Food

What can we say? Working with Sir Ainsley Harriott was a great honor. To see Palermo's street food through his eyes was incredible. Our Salvatore says that Ainsley's energy, charisma, and appreciation for good food are amazing. Grazie mille Ainsley for coming to Palermo.  

Watch Ainsley Harriott's Palermo episode in 4 parts here:

Ainsley Harriott & Palermo Street Food Part 1

 
 
 
 

Ainsley Harriott & Palermo Street Food Part 2

 
 
 

Ainsley Harriott & Palermo Street Food Part 3

 
 
 
 

Ainsley Harriott & Palermo Street Food Part 4

Palermo in Travel & Leisure

According Travel and Leisure you cannot miss a visit Palermo during your holidays. The famous U.S. magazine wrote about our city in one of their epic must-travel lists. 

They wrote that "Palermo, Sicily, is another destination capturing the collective imagination. TripAdvisor has noticed a recent uptick in searches and positive feedback—and we’ve noticed compelling reasons to visit, like a surprisingly sophisticated wine scene and affordable independent hotels."

It is so true! Palermo offers to all travelers the most reasonable offers in terms of Fun, Food and Culture. Our Palermo Street Food tour is totally a part of this mission: history, taste, and friendly people. What makes Palermo special is not only the jovial atmosphere of the city but all the different adventures you can find inside the city. 

Read more about it on our TripAdvisor.

So, what you are waiting for? Come and visit us!
 

From New York to Palermo by Bicycle

This post was written by Palermo Street Food's co-founder Danielle Aquino Roithmayr for Palermo's Rosalio blog. Yes, it is in Italian, but give it a try anyway! 

Se avessi un’auto la userei. Questa è stata certamente una delle prime frasi che ho imparato usando il tempo congiuntivo/condizionale; ed è proprio così.

Salve a tutti mi presento, sono Danielle Aquino, vivo da un paio di anni a Palermo e mi occupo di cibo artigianale: forse mi avete visto qualche volta in bicicletta in giro per Palermo. Sono la ragazza americana che molto cauta, con un caschetto protettivo, percorre giornalmente il marciapiede di via Libertà/via Notarbartolo, spaventata a morte dal traffico cittadino.

Il mio è solo un po’ di umorismo, non è poi così male il traffico palermitano, basta solo farci l’abitudine ed il gioco è fatto. Quel che è certo è che non manca mai una buona dose d’adrenalina; ad esempio oggi una signora guidando una Fiat 500 azzurra col telefonino rigorosamente al suo orecchio mi ha quasi appiattito quando ha deciso, cosi con naturale freschezza, di girare a destra senza utilizzare le frecce segnaletiche. Mi è persino capitato di rischiare d’esser catapultata all’interno di quello che qui a Palermo si definisce tecnicamente “lapino chino ‘i frutta e verdura” ossia un fruttarolo ambulante. Sarei comunque atterrata sul morbido tra melanzane e zucchine biologiche siciliane! Comunque, come ho detto, sono casi poco frequenti.

A Palermo per chi va in bici c’è poi un costante problema: dove incatenare la bici? Fortunatamente Io ho un lucchetto fortissimo che ho comprato negli Usa, fatto per resistere ai furfantelli di New York City che poco hanno da invidiare ai loro colleghi siciliani.

Se vi state chiedendo come abbia fatto a portarlo a Palermo, be’ posso dirvi che non è stato molto semplice. Ogni aeroporto in cui facevo scalo ho sempre dovuto dare mille spiegazioni sulle ragioni per cui avevo deciso di portarlo con me da New York, mentre una volta giunta a Roma e poi qui nel capoluogo siciliano nessuno mi ha più chiesto nulla, quasi come se fosse una routine viaggiare con un archetto blocca bici.

Ma ne è valsa la pena perché sto bene con il mio lucchetto newyorchese, almeno fino ad oggi. In ogni caso, ribadisco che questa città non è proprio fatta per i ciclisti urbani e tante volte mi “siddia” proprio incatenare la bici, così se devo solo comprare un gelato, in questa stagione sempre una ottima brioche con gelato ai gelsi e cioccolato fondente oppure se decido di prendere un caffè – senza zucchero per favore – lascio la bici vicino alla porta del bar e prego santa Rosalia di ritrovarla al suo posto.

A proposito di bar e caffè, una volta mi è capitata una strana avventura mentre mi trovavo in un bar per soddisfare la mia costante dipendenza da espresso. Ad un certo punto, mentre chiacchieravo con il barista, entra nel locale un signore sulla quarantina, probabilmente un manovale intento a concedersi una delle sue frequenti pause di lavoro. Sproloquiando con fare del tutto isolano (i siciliani sono tutti assolutamente dei grandi attori cominci) diresse lo sguardo verso di me ed il barista, chiedendo un caffè americano e prendendo spunto dalla cosa per sostenere che gli americani dovrebbero tornarsene tutti in America «perché è li che si sta bene» anzi, a suo dire, «tutti i siciliani dovrebbero andare a vivere in America perché qui non vale la pena continuare». Io vivo da qualche tempo qui e, alla lunga, ho assimilato anche un po’ di gestualità siciliana che non fa mai male. In quella circostanza, frenando quanto più potevo la mia risata, ho semplicemente annuito senza dire una parola. Non appena quell’uomo si è allontanato dal bar io ed il barista ci siamo guardati in faccia e siamo scoppiati a ridere. Mi capita spesso di essere scambiata per italiana ma più raramente che decidano di affrontare con quel genere di argomento con me. Anche in quella occasione avevo lasciato la bici fuori senza catena, ma per fortuna mi aspettava esattamente dove l’avevo lasciata; come si dice da queste parti “a postissimo!”.

Click here to read the original post on the Rosalio. 

 

The Black-Hooded Men and Capo Market

Let's time travel for a moment, back to medieval Sicily, when the secret sect known as Beati Paoli walked the streets — and the secret tunnles! — of Palermo. The Beati Paoli were Palermo's very own Robin Hood; black-hooded men of mystery waging a secret revolutionary struggle against the Catholic Church and other athorities . 

Located in Palermo and named after "Beato Paola," Saint Francis of Paolo, the Beati Paoli were a group of hooded "avengers" who defended common people against the Inquisition, spies, and the government.
 


The Beati Paoli were headquartered in the Capo district of Palermo. The same Capo that is today home to many of our favorite street food vendors. They used a vast array of tunnels, sewers and hidden passageways to secretly navigate the city. Due to the sensitive and dangerous nature of their work, they protected their identities by wearing black hooded cloaks and operated only at night.

The historical evidence is hazy about what really happened to the Beati Paoli. Did they fade from power as they failed to achieve their goals? Did their struggle between conspirators in Sicily and the government span not decades but centuries? It is very difficult to establish the historical truth of this sect, but the setting is real: the old Palermo; Capo Market and its underground tunnels.

Panormus Street Food Festival

The festival started this morning. It is the 1st edition of the Panormus Street Food Festival in the heart of Palermo. The festival was organized by a Milanese company in honor of Expo 2015.

The location for this event is Palermo's Piazza San Domenico, which is right next to Vucciria market. There were more than 35 different stands and a total expected 2,000 people, made up of Sicilian locals and travelers!

 

It's such a beautiful thing. All of our street food all at one giant celebration of culture and food: meat, fish, vegetables, desserts it's all here. 

Of course, Palermo Street Food was there. Check out our full photo albums here, here, and here. Here's a snapshot of us with Nino u' Ballerino, our local Street Food Oscar hero. 

 

This 2 day festival runs from 10am-Midnight and parallels 2 other Sicilian street food festivals: Fuori Festival in Monreale and Cefalu'. If you are in Palermo today or tomorrow, this festival is a must see. So many happy people dedicated to celebrating one of Sicily's most amazing assets: the street food! 

Nino u' Ballerino wins the Street Food Oscars

We are proud to announce that this year marked the first edition of the Italian Street Food Oscars, the first national contest that awards the best Street Food in Italy.

 There were around 1,000 Italian vendors considered for the awards and the competition registered around 47,000 votes from the general public. The competition was organized by CiboDiStrada.it and of course the contest was full of  Palermintan nominated vendors.

Of the approximately 1,000 vendors, only 10 vendors were selected for the final round. In that top 10 was our own Nino u' Ballerino, aka Antonino Buffa from Corso Finocchiaro Aprile in Palermo. 

The top 10 finalists had to prepare their specialties for a jury made up of Mauro Rosati, Jury president, and the journalists and food bloggers: Chiara Maci, Luisanna Messeri, Elisa Poli, and Carlotta Girola.

We are overjoyed to report that not only did Nino u' Ballerino win for the category of "Best Offal Dish" for this spleen sandwich, but he also won the overall competition for "Best Street Food in Italy." 

Nino was so moved by the win, that he shed tears while he accepted his award. 

Here is the list of finalists:

1.       Nino U’ Ballerino dal 1802    

Specialità: Pani ca' meusa "schiettu"

Regione: Sicilia

2.       La Folperia da Max e Barbara 

Specialità: Folpetti

Regione: Veneto

3.       Le Roi de la Crêpe

Specialità: Crêpe con sella, pecorino e erbe

Regione: Umbria

4.       I Sapori del Mio Paese

Specialità: Panino con porchetta artigianale

Regione:  Basilicata

5.       All’Antico Vinaio

Specialità: La Favolosa

Regione: Toscana

6.       Tavola Calda Europa

Specialità: Arancino con ricotta fresca e Piacentinu Ennese DOP

Regione: Sicilia

7.       Venditti Porchetta

Specialità: L'abruzzese

Regione: Abruzzo

8.       Amici di Ponte Vecchio

Specialità: Covaccino con stracchino e salsiccia

Regione: Toscana

9.       Pepèn

Specialità: Spaccaballe

Regione: Emilia Romagna

10.   Bello&Buono

Specialità: Cuoppo di fritto

Regione: Lombardia

Click here to watch the video!  

 

Who is the Genius of Palermo?

The Genius of Palermo is a particular figure. He has the beard of an old man but with the body of a young boy. He wears a crown and a snake in its arms that bites his chest. 

palermo street foor genius streat food street food

The image of the Genius of Palermo can be found all over Palermo. The most important Genius of Palermo statues are in the Vucciria market, at Villa Giulia, and in Piazza della Rivoluzione.

the real genius of palermo

Most of the statues of the Genius of Palermo also bear the the following Latin phrase: "Panormus conca aurea suos devorat alienos nutrit," which literally means "Palermo, the golden land, eats its own people and feeds foreign people." The most famous interpretation of this phrase is that the city of Palermo is a benevolent place but forsakes it citizens.

Most of the people here in Palermo consider the Genius to be a pagan symbol that protects our city and it is celebrated, along with Santa Rosalia, who is our religious protector. 

Another theory says that the Genius's snake represents fertility and capacity for renewal of the city of Palermo. This emphasizes the ability of the Genius to create something new from the consumption of the city of Palermo.

The Genius statue in Piazza della Rivoluzione found a special role during the riots of 1848 when it became the symbol of Palermo's desire for freedom and emancipation from the Bourbon rule. During that time, people would gather around the statue and drape it in the protest flag.

Pane Panelle & Tumminia

A couple of days ago we decided to go to visit Davide, a young vendor in Palermo that has his truck well of Palermo's main drag. We were curious to meet him because we have being noticing that in the last 9 months this guy had a great success in Palermo, so we wanted to understand his secret! 

Once we arrived, we immediately met Davide; he did not lose the chance to shake our hand in between making panini. 

Davide is almost 30 years old, he has been working in the field of Palermo street food since he was 20. Even though he started to study at school to become an electrician, he had a keen eye for business and taking the example of his dad, he started to go around Palermo with his car selling "pane cunsato" and other fresh sandwiches that he prepared (facci di vecchia e panini allo sgombro). Pane cunsato literally means "dressed bread" and the main ingredients of his food were anchovies, fresh tomatoes, cacio cavallo or tuma cheese and for sure GOOD extra virgin olive oil, oregano, salt and a bit of pepper.

Since the beginning he changed different trucks and recipes finding finally his true love: PANE E PANELLE!!

But guys do you know how many pane e panelle vendors there are around Palermo? Well, the number is probably similar to the the number of Pizzerie in New York City. Hundreds, if not thousands. To become as famous as he is today, he had to develop something different, for sure!

As we ate his panino we asked him his secret. He told us that everything started based on a series of conversations that Davide had with a Doctor who usually eats at his truck. In fact, usually you can find Davide around Villa Sofia Hospital so his truck is frequented by many doctors.

During the conversations between the Doctor and Davide, Davide started to learn more about ancient grains like Tumminia, Kamut and Farro flour and their good effects on the human body. Tumminia is actually a grain native to Sicily, and Davide makes 50% of all his panini with Tumminia bread. Since then, Davide decided to prepare his pane e panelle using bread made with those new (or maybe it's better to say old) kind of flours. 

The result is that today Davide is considered one of the best street food vendors in the city because, besides the artisanal quality of his production (panelle, crocche, rascatura...), he also uses bread made with these wonderful grains. He also told us that coming soon is a panino for people that suffer from celiac disease.

That's an absolutely great new entry into the Palermo street food scene! It is innovation, combined with antique Sicilian-ness.  So far, he is the only one doing this. Bravo Davide!

Today Davide is quite successful. When we asked him if he had anything to say about his success, he said that he has to thank God who, since the beginning of his adventure, has been near to him and driving his ideas. 

What we can say about Davide? He is a great guy, with great humility and capacity. AND he makes a damn good panino. 

Sicilian Panelle Recipe

Panelle are thin cutlets made of chickpea flour and fried in oil. Once referred to as “piscipanelle”, panelle were traditionally sold by street vendors as a pedestrian snack food. Today, however, panelle have become a popular food in the home, and a “must” among typical Sicilian antipasto selections in restaurants, as well. Panelle became the unofficial foods eaten in celebration of the feast day of Saint Lucy.They are sold in fried-food shops scattered around the city and they are eaten warm, with a sprinkle of pepper and some drops of lemon juice,as a snack; or in typical loaves just removed from the oven in substitution of a meal. The Panellari often spread the cooked paste rectangular wooden bars on which floral designs are engraved.
 

Ingredients
4 cups water
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet and for frying
1/2 pound chickpea (garbanzo) flour
Recommended Equipment: A heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan or deep sauté pan, about 10-inch diameter; a stiff wire whisk; a rimmed baking sheet, 9 by 13 inches (a quarter-sheet), or a shallow baking pan of the same size, bottom and sides lightly brushed with olive oil; a stiff metal spatula

Preparation
Pour 4 cups water, the salt, and the olive oil into the saucepan, and gradually whisk in the chickpea flour until smooth. Set over medium heat, and whisk constantly as the batter slowly heats. It will thicken and eventually steam but does not need to boil. Cook and keep whisking, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan frequently, until the mixture is quite stiff and starts to pull away from the sides as you stir it, 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn the batter into the oiled pan, and spread it quickly with the spatula, before it cools and sets, so it fills the pan in an even layer. Wet the spatula with water, and smooth the top of the batter. Let cool for an hour or longer, until completely firm.

Cut pieces with a sharp knife, in whatever size or shape you like and in the amount you need. I cut 1 1/2-inch squares for appetizers and Sicilian-style sandwiches; 2-by-3-inch bars—at least two per person—to accompany a main course. Lift the cut pieces from the pan with a spatula (seal the remainder with plastic wrap and refrigerate for longer keeping).

To fry the panelle, pour enough extra-virgin olive oil into the heavy skillet to cover the bottom with 1/8 inch of oil, and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, lay in the panelle, leaving plenty of space between them. Fry about 2 minutes, until the underside is crisp and golden, then flip them over and brown the second side, about 2 minutes more. Set the panelle on paper towels to drain and cool for a minute, but serve while they are still warm (though they taste good at room temperature too!).

Lettera aperta a coloro i quali sanno indignarsi al momento giusto

lettera capponata.jpg

A tutti voi sarà certamente capitato recentemente di registrare come l'opinione pubblica cittadina si sia sollevata univoca e compatta contro l'oltraggio perpetrato dalla nota azienda di alimenti circa l'uso del dado nella preparazione della caponata.

Un vero affronto che nessuno a potuto lasciar passare, tanto lo sdegno per l'umiliazione di una tradizione di cui siamo immensamente fieri ed orgogliosi. La caponata siciliana ( e sì! Ahimè non è proprietà privata di Palermo) ha una storia centenaria, tanto che persino i più eruditi cultori dell'arte culinaria non sanno decifrarne l'origine, che per taluni è collegata all'uso del pesce capone e per altri al luogo dove, agli inizi della sua storia, veniva servita, ovvero le “caupone” che in antico catalano dovrebbe indicare quelle specifiche taverne  ove i pescatori usavano riunirsi alla fine delle loro dure giornate di lavoro per consumare un pasto veloce ed economico.

Ebbene sì, la caponata è parte della nostra storia, è nel nostro DNA e non  possiamo accettare che venga oltraggiata da una Società senza troppi scrupoli che se ne serva per scopi commerciali e pubblicitari. Lo troviamo offensivo a tal punto da scriverne articoli e bombardare i social networks di video e campagne contro questo scempio. Il mondo deve sapere che noi non mettiamo il dado nella caponata e che Palermo si ribella a questa storia!

E dunque è giusto lodare quegli eroi che si sono sobbarcati il peso di questa crociata per la difesa della dignità culturale della nostra gente, catalizzatori dell'attenzione di un popolo che intimamente si è sentito aggredito, più di quanto non sia mai accaduto.

Ma, del resto, se riflettiamo un po' tutti insieme, forse possiamo capire veramente cos'è che vale più per noi. Tutto ciò ci permetterà di capire da cosa abbiamo scelto d'esser rappresentati? Questo non intende esser un “j'accuse”  verso nessuno, chi sarei io per far questo, piuttosto lo interpreterei come una occasione per farci tutti insieme un esame di coscienza e assumerci la responsabilità di quello che oggi a Palermo rappresenta la nostra identità culturale ed i nostri valori. Ed allora possiamo cominciare tutti insieme con le riflessioni. 

Noi siamo quelli che accettano che il nostro concittadino getti le cartacce per terra invece di utilizzare l'apposito cestino, ma ci ribbelliamo al dado nella caponata. 

Noi siamo quelli che tolleriamo che la cacca dei cani venga usata come decoro urbano o, se preferite, ostacolo per zigzagaere sui marciapiedi e tanto se la pesti  sono soldi, ma ci indignamo per il dado nella caponata! Noi siamo quelli che permettiamo al parcheggiatore di “addumannarni u café” perché così  staiamo tranquilli e se poi qualche mosca bianca si ribella e subbisce le conseguenze, a parole tanto di sostegno, ma in realtà pensiamo peggio per lui, però guai a toccarci la sacra caponata.

Noi siamo quelli che un giorno ci pentiremo di tutto questo e.....

Biscotti di San Martino, San Martino Cookies

My Nonna Caterina, - "pace all'anima sua" (rest in peace) - used to tell me about the story of San Martino during we were preparing these cookies. Saint Martin was a knight who was passing through the Roman empire when he noticed a poor man stumbling along the road. It was cold and the man had no clothing to protect him from the chilly air, so Saint Martin pulled out his sword and sliced his heavy military cloak in two so he could give half to the poor man.

This is why in Italy we refer to "l'estate di San Martino" (the summer of Saint Martin) around the time of Saint Martin's day when the weather is unseasonably warm, especially here in our lovely Sicilia. Perhaps it's Saint Martin looking down on earth and giving us a small reprieve from late autumn chill.

The typical biscuits that we prepare in this period are crusty dry rounded cookies that we usually eat with Moscato wine or other sweet wines.

For example, I always prefer have these cookies with some Marsala. So, once you are ready with your cookies or in case you have a chance to buy its, you can break its and sop up in your sweet wine glass.

You will not regret to do it and you will have a nice Sicilian traditional experience.

The recipe! What you need and how to prepare the cookies:
- 500g all purpose flour 
- 75g lard 
- 100g sugar
- Anise seeds or Fennel seeds, about a spoon full, or more if you like a stronger liquorish flavor. 
- 10g beer yeast - a pinch of salt - just a pinch of cinnamon.

1. crush the seeds a bit to release their aroma
2. mix all ingredients together with just enough water to make a soft ball  =)
3. leave it to rise (about an hour) 
4. punch down the dough and form into shapes*
5. let them rise for another few minutes
6. crush the risen cookies with an egg wash (yolk and milk) and sprinkle with sesame seeds for decoration if desired
7. bake at 400F/200C for 15 minutes, or until the cookies have a nice brown gloss.

Now all you need to do is try to make our delicious biscuits at home!


*featured above are a few classic shapes including a common Italian bread shape called "the mafalda" 

 

The Sicilian Day of the Dead

The "day of the dead" or, in Sicilian, "U juornu rii muorti" is celebrated on the 2nd of November. This is the day when the church remembers, with special celebrations, those who are no longer alive,. People visit the cemetery, taking flowers and candles to the graves of dead relatives and friends; and children find presents `brought' to them by the "muorti," their dead relatives send them presents.  As in other parts of the world, for example Mexico for  "El dia de los muertos" or Japan for "Obon festival", it is a day dedicated to life and the family. The various traditions of the "iuornu re muorti" express the Sicilians' strong attachment to life and to their families, both those who are alive and those who are no longer with them. This is especially visible in the traditions that involve children since they create and reinforce links between them and those members of the family that are not alive anymore. 

Even nowadays, in the days leading up to November 2nd, hundreds of little Fiere dei Morti – Fairs of the Dead decorate the streets of every Sicilian town and village: a tradition particularly evident in Palermo. Stalls sell typical sweetmeats, such as the queen of them all, the Frutta di Martorana (fruit made from almond paste), the crozzi ‘i mottu (bones of the dead), the pupatelli  biscuits full of toasted almonds, the taralli ring cakes covered in icing sugar, the S-shaped nucatoli biscuits, and the white and brown Tetù.

There are also toys of every description which parents can buy to put in the Cannistru: a basket full of gifts, dries fruits and local delicacies which they prepare during the night to surprise their children in the morning. In some areas, children also hide away any graters there are in the house, because the dead have the habit of grating the feet of naughty youngsters while they are asleep! 

Pupi ri zuccaru in the shape of Sicilian puppets knights  This feeling of physical closeness to the dead is clearly demonstrated in the symbolism of the leading players in this festival: the Pupi ri zuccaru or sugar puppets: anthropomorphic figures made from solid sugar and sugar strands which are used to decorate the Cannistru.  Traditionally, these so-called Sicilian puppets represented knights and paladins on horseback. Nowadays, however, they may depict dancers, little “dames”, footballers, or the children’s favourite personalities. It is said that this tradition goes back to a dinner given by an Arab nobleman, who, fallen on hard times, served up these little figures at table. This story gives us their name in the Palermo dialect: Puppaccena.



Let's talk about Sfincione, a Sicilian pizza.

Sfincione is a thick Sicilian pizza, originally created by the mix of pizza and bread dough. It is topped with tomatoes, onions, sometimes  few anchovies and grated caciocavallo cheese, seasoned with a dash of oregano. Outside Italy, the term "Sicilian pizza" is used to describe all kinds of things, but until the 1820s sfincione (loosely translated "thick sponge") was the kind of "pizza" usually consumed in Sicily, especially in the western part of the island.

With a spongy crust up to two centimetres (an inch) thick, sfincione is more like bread than pizza --which in Italy usually has a thin crust. The Sicilian term "sfincia" alludes to sponges and the spongy, meaning that sfincione shares the same origin as sfinci. Culinary writers like to wax poetic about its "ancient" or medieval origins. In fact, sfincione has been made only since the seventeenth century. The most important ingredient, the tomato, is South American in origin. It has been cultivated in Sicily only since the sixteenth century. The story of sfincione having been invented by some cloistered nuns may have merit, but nobody knows for certain.

Sfincione was created as special bread for Christmas's  eve and it has all the typical caracteristic of palermo's street food:
- It's soft (so eatable even for old people that doesn't  have more all the teeth.
- it's cheap, made with simply and common ingredients.
- it's tasty and its flavor is sweet and sour as such as many others Sicilian dishes. This is the result of the mix between white onions(sweet) and tomato+caciocavallo cheese.


Ingredients


For the Dough
17.5 ounces (500 grams, about 3 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
.35 ounces (10 grams, about 2 teaspoons) kosher salt
.18 ounces (5 grams, about 1 teaspoon) instant or RapidRise yeast
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12.25 ounces (347 grams) water (see note)

For the Breadcrumbs
1 loaf Italian-style bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces caciocavallo cheese (see note), grated on the large holes of a box grater

For the Sauce

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, finely diced (about 2 1/2 cups total)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 anchovy filets, finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand or in a food mill Kosher salt


To Assemble:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 ounces caciocavallo cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater.

Procedure

  1. Make the Dough: Add flour, salt, and yeast to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add olive oil and water and stir with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. Dough will be quite wet. Do not add more flour. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. While dough ferments, make the breadcrumbs and sauce (both can be made head).

  2. Make the Breadcrumbs: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until completely dry, about 30 minutes. Break up bread into rough pieces with your hands then transfer to a food processor. Add olive oil and cheese and process into a fine powder. Set aside until ready to use. Breadcrumbs can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

  3. Make the Sauce: Heat olive oil and onions in a large straight-sided sautée pan over medium high heat until sizzling. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are deep golden brown, about 20 minutes total.

  4. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer then reduce to lowest possible heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep red, rich, and thick, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and set aside. Sauce can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one wee

  5. When ready to assemble, place a baking stone directly on the bottom of your oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Pour half of oil in the bottom of a rimmed aluminum baking sheet. Carefully remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a ball. Pour remaining oil over the top and coat with your hands. Let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. The dough should spread to mostly fill the pan. Gently stretch and shape it to fill out to the edges. Let rise another 30 minutes.

  6. Carefully spread a generous layer of sauce to within 1/4-inch of the edges of the dough, taking care not to deflate the dough excessively (You may not need all the sauce). The sauce will spread better if it's allowed to come to room temperature first. Add a layer of grated cheese. Top the entire top surface with the cheesy bread crumbs (you may not need all the crumbs). Drizzle with more olive oil. Bake directly on the stone until top is golden brown and bottom is crisp and bubbly when you peek with a metal spatula, about 25 minutes total, rotating once half way through cooking.

  7. Remove from the pan using a thin metal spatula and transfer to a cutting board. Serve immediately.

“Cose Nostre” experience

This summer we decided to visit some exponents of the Sicilian street food culture outside the island. In Milan, via Chiesa Rossa 71, we found this quaint little coffee/rotisserie where you can enjoy a typical Palermitan atmosphere. Cose Nostre started almost six years ago from the idea of bringing a taste of Palermo to Milan. Here you can find everything you need, such as great Cannoli,  authentic arancine or amazing “panini ca’ miusa” (spleen sandwich).

Alessio, who is the manager of this nice place, told us a little bit about the mission of Cose Nostre. Since they started they tried to communicate through the food  that they serve the most authentic Sicilian tradition and culture. So, at some point, it felt as if we were in a kind of unreal culinary Embassy of Sicily in the city of Milan.

They serve fresh Cannoli made to order and they offer three sizes: small, medium and big! They always suggest to eat a Cannolo drinking a good glass of Limoncello or some other liqueurs with the taste of pistachio, prickly pear, almond etc…etc…

They serve almost all the different kinds of Palermitan rosticceria (pizzette, arancine, barchette, calzone, ciambelle, cartocci, cornetti…) sweet and salty, so this is a perfect place for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Alessio told us that sometimes they organize little events where with a small ticket of €10 you can have an amazing food tasting experience which includes trying the most traditional Palermitan food, including a glass of red Sicilian wine.

They also cook Sicilian homemade bread which they suggest visitors try with a bottle of their own extra virgin olive oil.

What else can we say but to recommend you visit!