Sicilian Pizza

Sicilian pizza is an Italian-style pie identified by its thick, chewy, bready crust—similar in texture to a slab of focaccia, but under a layer of toppings like tomato sauce and other ingredients. In Sicily cheese is not required, but in this more American take on the classic, mozzarella and pepperoni pair up for a nostalgic finish.

The hallmark of this particular recipe is the olive-oil-enriched dough’s relatively quick rise time, sped along by a few teaspoons of instant yeast. After combining the wet and dry ingredients in a large bowl with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon (no kneading required), the first dough rise takes 30 minutes at room temperature under a taut layer of plastic wrap. Then you’ll transfer the now bubbly, airy dough ball to a baking sheet for a second 20-minute rise. After dimpling the pizza dough across its surface (like you would focaccia), it’s ready to bake.

To ensure your Sicilian pizza has a crispy, golden brown base, this pizza recipe requires an initial parbake—that is, a few minutes in the oven before the toppings are added (they are liable to make the dough steam rather than crisp up during baking). During that time you can make your simple pizza sauce—fragrant with sliced garlic and dried oregano—which you’ll eventually spoon over the just-set pizza dough from edge to edge. Be sure to seek out low-moisture mozzarella for your Sicilian-style pizza rather than the fresh variety; the former is meltier and stretchier, and, when shingled across the top of the pie, creates a cohesive layer of cheese that yields a perfect pull when cut.

Get more of our best pizza recipes →