Sicilian style pizza has a thick spongy crust and is often compared to foccacia bread. If you want to find out how to make it in your Ooni pizza oven or other wood fired pizza oven, then read on.

Sicilian style pizza has some similarities to Detroit deep-dish pizza with a few slight variations, as it uses a lightly-oiled rectangular pan.

If you prefer a thicker (but not spongy) crust try our deep dish pizza recipe, Chicago style.

Sicilian Pizza Dough Recipe

• 600ml (3 cups) of cold water
• 20g (4 tsp) salt
• 14g fresh yeast (1/2oz) 6g active dried yeast or 4g instant dried yeast
• 1kg (9 cups) Tipo 00 Flour (you can also use bread flour)
• 2 tbsps Olive Oil

Sicilian Pizza Method

• Add the salt and yeast to the water and stir to combine
• Put your flour into a bowl
• Add the water mixture to the flour
• Add the Olive Oil
• Knead the dough with your hands for around 10 minutes into a large ball
• Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove for at least an hour until it has doubled in size (alternatively leave the dough to cold prove in the fridge for 1-5 days)
• When you are ready to make your pizza measure out 300g (11oz) of dough
• Lightly oil a rectangular tray and then place the dough in the tray – don’t worry if it doesn’t stretch all the way to the sides we are going to let it rise a bit more while you get your Ooni pizza stone up to 400C (which takes around 15mins)
• Push the dough to the sides of the tray then add your cheese first, pizza sauce second and then your toppings

If you would see how to make Sicilian pizza in the Ooni oven try our Instagram video below:

FAQ’s About Sicilian Pizza

What is a Sicilian Style Pizza?

Sicilian Pizza (or ‘Sfincione’ ‘Thick Sponge’) hails from Palermo and it is baked in a rectangular tray in the oven. The crust is similar to foccicia bread – thick, dry, airy and crispy.

Usually the cheese is put on first to make sure the crust isn’t soggy, then the pizza sauce and then the toppings. Unlike Neapolitan style pizza there are often plenty of toppings such as anchovies, Italian sausage, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms etc.

What makes Sicilian Pizza Different?

Sicilian pizza is different from other styles of pizza due to its thick, rectangular crust and is often baked in a rectangular or square pan. The crust is light and airy on the inside, with a crispy exterior that provides a satisfying crunch.

Sicilian pizza often has a thicker layer of sauce that is seasoned with herbs and spices, and sometimes topped with chunks of fresh tomatoes. Additionally, Sicilian pizza tends to be loaded with toppings, such as cheese, vegetables.

What is the Difference between Italian and Sicilian Style Pizza?

There are many different regional variations on ‘Italian’ pizza – Italy was not a whole country until the late nineteenth century. It was divided into different states which spoke different languages and had different cultures.

Sicilian pizza is known for its thick, rectangular crust that is often baked in a pan. The crust is light and airy on the inside, with a crispy exterior like foccacia bread.

Sicilian pizza also tends to have a thicker layer of sauce than other regional styles (e.g. Neopolitan)which is seasoned with herbs and spices and topped with various ingredients such as cheese, vegetables, and meats, making it more substantial and filling than say Roman style pizza (which has a thin crust and served in a rectangular/square cut) or Neopolitan style pizza (which has fewer toppings and a light airy crust without olive oil added).

What is the Difference between Sicilian and Detroit-style Pizza?

Sicilian style pizza undoubtably influenced Detroit style pizza however there are some key diiferences.

Sicilian-style pizza and Detroit-style pizza are both unique and delicious pizza styles. Sicilian-style pizza is characterized by its thick, doughy crust, which is topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and various toppings.

This pizza is typically rectangular in shape and has a thick, spongy crust. In contrast, Detroit-style pizza features a crispy, chewy crust that is made from a special dough that is stretched into a rectangular shape and baked in a well-oiled, deep-dish pan.

The cheese is spread all the way to the edges of the pan, which results in a caramelized and crispy crust. The sauce is often added on top of the cheese, and toppings are added last. Overall, while both pizzas share some similarities, the main differences lie in the crust and the order of toppings.