This easy Sicilian Pizza is characterized by its thick, chewy crust with bits of crispy, caramelized cheese around the edges! Topped with an assortment of gooey mozzarella cheese, smoky meat and sweet onions and green peppers, this is a keeper. You’re gonna want a slice (or three) of this!
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Disclosure: I partnered with FLEISCHMANN’S® Yeast for this recipe post, but all opinions expressed here are my own. I am grateful for authentic partnerships like this.
I’m an unapologetic, enthusiastic pizza lover. If you asked me to rank my favorite comfort foods (hardest question ever), pizza would definitely have a top 5 spot. Guaranteed. My husband and daughter would probably say number 1 without a doubt! Over the years, my brain has been filled to the brim of family memories revolving around homemade pizza. Growing up, at least once a week, my family and I ordered pizza from our local shop, passed around paper plates and laughed over greasy slices.
These days, I still indulge in takeout pies but I prefer to make them myself! And let me tell you, homemade pizza is totally WORTH THE EFFORT! When my husband and I first got married, we made individual pizzas with homemade dough almost every Friday. It became our family tradition. I love to fill the kitchen with clouds of flour as I knead a homemade dough. Then, I simmer the sauce and organize toppings into petite glass bowls. Slowly but surely, we would build our epic pies throwing together sometimes classic and even strange toppings and cheeses. Whether they worked or not, we always have a good time!
And I couldn’t wait to get my daughter involved in the tradition. With pizza being her absolute favorite food, she adores being part of the process and of course eating it all once it pops out of the oven.
So now it’s time to introduce my family tradition to you. I invite you to change up the routine this week. Put down the takeout menu, put on the apron and welcome family into the kitchen. What do you say we all make some ‘za together?
What is Sicilian Pizza?
Pizza is one of the most popular foods in the world and has been enjoyed for generations. Among the many different styles of pizza, one that stands out is the Sicilian pizza. Originating from Sicily, this pizza is known for its thick and fluffy crust, ample toppings, and bold flavor.
When it comes to toppings, Sicilian pizza is known for its abundance. You can use mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon, green pepper, onion, grated parmesan cheese, and dried Italian seasoning.
Easy Pizza Dough
To be honest, I’m a bit obsessed with my dough recipe for this Sicilian Pizza. It is a twist on my traditional Neapolitan pizza dough which was totally inspired by my trip to Naples, Italy so I know what I’m talking about. The dough makes for a thick and chewy interior. In fact, it almost looks like the inside of an airy baguette or even more like focaccia. Although it’s considerably thicker than the traditional variety, this crust is surprisingly light.
How do you make this remarkable crust you ask? Well, let me tell ya! The actual process of making the dough is made simple with the use of Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast.
Fast acting, gluten-free and easy-to-use, this yeast makes for a quickened rise. No mixer is needed either. That’s how easy this is. Just by using this yeast we cut the resting period in half, which means you get your pizza that much faster!
Once rested and topped, it’s time for baking. A Sicilian pizza dough is cooked in a heavily oiled baking dish so that it ends up with a crisp, golden-brown, almost-fried-texture, bottom. Absolute perfection.
Ingredients
Pizza is a food that is meant to be played with! Use your own personal preferences to inspire something new and exciting. Just about anything can be spread onto this base.
Here’s what I selected based on my family’s preferences:
- Mozzarella Cheese- high in both water and fat content, mozzarella cheese is perfect for achieving that ooey-gooey goodness. The mild flavor allows the other toppings to shine while still providing the necessary cheesy flavor. Feel free to experiment with provolone, cheddar or even gruyere!
- Italian Sausage– sausage is salty, rich and slightly spicy. Don’t go too heavy though, the excess oil isn’t your friend.
- Pepperoni– bold, smokey and herby, pepperoni is a pizza topping classic! And my daughter goes seriously crazy over it!
- Bacon– what’s a meat-lover’s pizza without some cured, fatty bacon bits?
- Green Pepper & Onion– when cooked, both become sweet while maintaining their earthy, bitterness.
- Parmesan– pungent and salty, parmesan helps to cut through fat and add a bit of zing.
- Italian Seasoning– too much seasoning? Never. Just a few pinches adds a rustic, herbaceous lift to our pie.
Seriously, pick and choose what you’d like to use! Don’t forget to comment below and let me know what you’re topping line up looks like.
How to Make Sicilian Pizza
- Dough-It-Up:
- Start off by mixin’ all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Give it a good stir to get everyone acquainted.
- Now, it’s hydration time! Mix 2 tbsp of oil with lukewarm water, then pour just enough into your dry squad till you’ve got a soft, elastic, and slightly sassy dough.
- Knead it on a floured surface, show it some love, and form a ball. Pop that beauty into an olive oil-coated bowl, cover with plastic, and let it nap in a warm spot for an hour. Dream of the deliciousness to come.
- Pan Prep:
- Post-nap, it’s showtime! Drizzle about 3 tbsp of olive oil onto an 11×17 inch pan. Let your dough join the party, pressing it out with your fingertips and making cute little dimples. Drizzle some of that oily goodness on top, cover, and let it rest again for an hour. Patience, pals, we’re crafting perfection!
- Top It Like It’s Hot:
- Crank your oven up to a fiery 500 degrees (or its max temp) and place your rack on the lowest position. It’s about to get toasty in here!
- Blanket your dough with a luxurious layer of mozzarella, leaving a 1-inch pizza “crust” border. Be as cheesy as you like!
- Here comes the fun part – freestyle your pizza sauce in diagonal rows or artsy dollops over the cheese.
- Now, create a flavor fiesta with sausage, pepperoni, bacon, green pepper, and onion. It’s a party on a pizza!
- Crown it with grated parmesan, even on that royal crust, and a whisper of Italian seasoning. She’s looking gorgeous!
- Bake & Wow:
- Bake this masterpiece for 20-25 minutes, until you’ve got a crisp, golden crust, bubbly browned cheese, and an aroma that’s practically giving you a standing ovation.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
For those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, there are many options to enjoy a delicious Sicilian pizza. To make it vegetarian, use vegetarian sausage or mushrooms instead of meat. For a vegan version, replace the cheese with vegan cheese, and use vegan sausage or tofu.
Leftover Storage and Reheating
The best of any pizza, whether homemade or delivered, is the leftovers. With reheating as simple as it is, why not keep a few extra slices around for a quick lunch or a midnight snack?
To Store:
After you’ve had your fill, allow the remaining slices to cool down until the cheese has slightly hardened. Next, stack the slices in a large resealable bag and store in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can stack the slices in between sheets of wax or parchment paper and then, wrap the pizza pile in plastic wrap. Pizza will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
To Reheat:
Leftovers can taste just as good as a fresh pizza, if reheated properly.
My first suggestion is to use an air fryer! Yes, an air fryer. It returns the dough to the perfect crisp exterior that you remember from the first dining experience. Secondly I suggest using a conventional oven for a perfectly crisp outside, warm, saucy inside and a gooey layer of cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the slices on top. Mist or drizzle a bit of water (to add moisture) and cover loosely with foil. Bake until hot and melt, about 15-20 minutes.
Tips
If you’re new to cooking, making a Sicilian pizza can be a fun and easy experience. When measuring the ingredients, make sure to use a kitchen scale for accurate results. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can use measuring cups and spoons. When making the dough, remember that the temperature of the water can affect the yeast, so make sure it’s lukewarm.
Substitutions
If you don’t have all the ingredients for the Sicilian pizza, there are many substitutions you can make. For example, if you don’t have Italian sausage, you can use other types of sausage or meat. If you don’t have green pepper, you can use red pepper or mushrooms. If you don’t have parmesan cheese, you can use other types of cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella.
Best Pizza Recipes
Is there a more perfect food than pizza? If there is, I’ve never had it. There are countless ways to make a pie: Chicago deep-dish, Detroit pan-style, classic Italian Neapolitan and so much more!
Discover someplace new with me by tossing up a few of my favorite homemade pizza recipes:
- Prosciutto Pizza
- Pizza Nachos
- Homemade Pizza Rolls
- Pepperoni Pizza with Garlic Herb Crust,
- Meat Lovers Pizza,
- Neapolitan Pizza
- Philly Cheese Steak Pizza
- Mexican Pizza
Sicilian Pizza
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Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 0.75 oz Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast packet
- 1 1/2 cup lukewarm water up to 1 3/4 cup
- 6 tbsp quality oil to coat the bowl plus more for the pan
For the Assembly
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese sliced (up to 2 lbs)
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce up to 1 cup
- l lb crumbled cooked Italian sausage
- pepperoni slices
- cooked bacon in bits
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- grated parmesan cheese
- dried Italian seasoning
Instructions
For the Pizza Dough
- Add all-purpose flour, salt, sugar and yeast to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Next, add 2 tbsp of oil to the lukewarm water then add enough water to dry ingredients until it becomes elastic and soft but not too sticky. Remove from the bowl and knead with a little flour and form a ball.
- Take another large bowl and coat with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm area for an hour.
- After an hour, add remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil to a 11×17 inch pan. Remove the dough from the covered bowl and, using your finger tips, press and spread out the dough allowing some of the oil to get on the top of the dough in the dimples. Add plastic wrap over the pan and allow it to rest again in a warm area for another hour.
To Assemble Pizza
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees or as high as your oven will go and set your rack on the lowest bottom position.
- Top your pizza dough with mozzarella cheese leaving a 1 inch border uncovered. Add as much cheese as you prefer.
- Spoon pizza sauce over the cheese in diagonal rows or in various spots on top of the dough.
- Sprinkle sausage, pepperoni, bacon, green pepper and onion on top of cheese and sauce.
- Finally sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese making sure to sprinkle even on the 1 inch border.
- Sprinkle with a tiny bit of Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the dough is very crisp and browned and the cheese is totally melted and golden and slightly browned bubbly (don't’ burn!).
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Awesome recipe
This was like a deep dish. It was delicious and the crust was nice and fluffy inside yet crisp on the edges. I will definitely make this again
Definitely trying this for this super bowl gathering with my immediate family. Can’t wait to see the outcome. Your recipes have never fail me yet, thanks Jocelyn