Name: Sfincione palermitano with tomato and onion
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 250 min
Yield: 1 tray (6 portions per 30 x 40 cm tray.)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Double-milled durum wheat semolina; 100 g Plain wheat flour, type 00; 400 ml Water (Dough: Water, 350 ml; lukewarm; 330 ml first, up to 20 ml more only if needed Water, 50 ml; for the onions); 7 g Instant dried baker’s yeast (not baking powder); 5 g Granulated sugar; 12 g Fine salt (Dough: Fine salt, 10 g Fine salt, 2 g; for the sauce; adjust to the fish and cheese); 500 g Yellow onion (peeled weight, thinly sliced); 500 g Tomato passata; 50 g Salt-cured sardine fillets (Salt-cured sardine fillets, 20 g; already desalted and boneless, for the sauce Salt-cured sardine fillets, 30 g; already desalted and boneless, for pressing into the dough); 100 g Caciocavallo (cut into small cubes); 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (Extra-virgin olive oil, 30 ml; for the sauce Finish: Extra-virgin olive oil, 10 ml; for toasting the bread crumbs Finish: Extra-virgin olive oil, 20 ml; for the tray and shaping hands); 0.5 g Black pepper (ground); 2 g Dried oregano; 80 g Fresh coarse bread crumbs (from fresh plain bread, crust removed, crumbled coarsely)

Have the desalted, boneless sardine fillets ready. Let the sauce cool before spreading it over the dough, and keep the topping moist but free of watery liquid.

Make ahead The onion-and-tomato sauce can be made earlier the same day and refrigerated once cool. Bring only the amount needed for topping back toward room temperature while the dough rises.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Rest: 2 hr
Yield: 1 tray (6 portions per 30 x 40 cm tray.)
Difficulty: Medium

Sfincione palermitano with tomato and onion

Prep 40 min · Cook 1 hr 30 min · Rest 2 hr · Yield 1 tray (6 portions per 30 x 40 cm tray.) · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

1 tray (6 portions per 30 x 40 cm tray.)

Dough

400 g2⅓ cups
Double-milled durum wheat semolina
100 g¾ cup
Plain wheat flour, type 00
7 g2¼ tsp
Instant dried baker’s yeastnot baking powdernot baking powder
5 g1¼ tsp
Granulated sugar

400 ml1⅔ cups
WaterDough: Water, 350 ml; lukewarm; 330 ml first, up to 20 ml more only if needed Water, 50 ml; for the onionsDough: Water, 1½ cups; lukewarm; 1⅓ cups first, up to 1¼ tbsp more only if needed Water, 3½ tbsp; for the onions
12 g2 tsp
Fine saltDough: Fine salt, 10 g Fine salt, 2 g; for the sauce; adjust to the fish and cheeseDough: Fine salt, ¼ oz Fine salt, 2 g; for the sauce; adjust to the fish and cheese
500 g1 lb
Yellow onionpeeled weight, thinly slicedpeeled weight, thinly sliced
500 g1 lb
Tomato passata
50 g2¾ tbsp
Salt-cured sardine filletsSalt-cured sardine fillets, 20 g; already desalted and boneless, for the sauce Salt-cured sardine fillets, 30 g; already desalted and boneless, for pressing into the doughSalt-cured sardine fillets, ¾ oz; already desalted and boneless, for the sauce Salt-cured sardine fillets, 1 oz; already desalted and boneless, for pressing into the dough
100 g3½ oz
Caciocavallocut into small cubescut into small cubes
60 ml¼ cup
Extra-virgin olive oilExtra-virgin olive oil, 30 ml; for the sauce Finish: Extra-virgin olive oil, 10 ml; for toasting the bread crumbs Finish: Extra-virgin olive oil, 20 ml; for the tray and shaping handsExtra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp; for the sauce Finish: Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tsp; for toasting the bread crumbs Finish: Extra-virgin olive oil, 1¼ tbsp; for the tray and shaping hands
0.5 g¼ tsp
Black peppergroundground
2 g2 tsp
Dried oregano

Finish

80 g2¾ oz
Fresh coarse bread crumbsfrom fresh plain bread, crust removed, crumbled coarselyfrom fresh plain bread, crust removed, crumbled coarsely

Equipment

Kitchen scales, large mixing bowl and dough scraper
Heavy saucepan with lid and a small pan for the bread crumbs
Deep metal baking tray about 30 x 40 cm, at least 4 cm high, and a conventional oven

Method

Thinly slice the onions and prepare the sardine portions, about 10 minutes. Put the onions in the covered saucepan with 30 ml oil and 50 ml water. Cook gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and no longer sitting in watery liquid.Thinly slice the onions and prepare the sardine portions, about 10 minutes. Put the onions in the covered saucepan with 2 tbsp oil and 3½ tbsp water. Cook gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and no longer sitting in watery liquid.
Stir the 20 g sauce sardines into the onions until they break up. Add the passata, 2 g salt, pepper and half the oregano. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to spread without releasing a puddle of liquid.Stir the ¾ oz sauce sardines into the onions until they break up. Add the passata, 2 g salt, pepper and half the oregano. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to spread without releasing a puddle of liquid.
Spread the sauce in a shallow bowl and let it cool until no longer warm, about 20 minutes or longer if needed. Do not spread hot sauce over the dough.Spread the sauce in a shallow bowl and let it cool until no longer warm, about 20 minutes or longer if needed. Do not spread hot sauce over the dough.
Mix the two flours, yeast and sugar. Add 330 ml lukewarm water and work into a soft dough. Add the 10 g dough salt, then use up to the remaining 20 ml water only if needed for a soft, tacky consistency. Mix and knead for about 15 minutes in all. Cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 60 minutes; allow longer in a cool room.Mix the two flours, yeast and sugar. Add 1⅓ cups lukewarm water and work into a soft dough. Add the ¼ oz dough salt, then use up to the remaining 1¼ tbsp water only if needed for a soft, tacky consistency. Mix and knead for about 15 minutes in all. Cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 60 minutes; allow longer in a cool room.
Prepare the coarse bread crumbs and dice the caciocavallo, about 5 minutes. Toss the crumbs in the small pan with 10 ml oil over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, just until lightly golden. Take off the heat and mix in the remaining oregano.Prepare the coarse bread crumbs and dice the caciocavallo, about 5 minutes. Toss the crumbs in the small pan with 2 tsp oil over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, just until lightly golden. Take off the heat and mix in the remaining oregano.
Use the final 20 ml oil to grease the tray and your hands. Spread the doubled dough evenly in the prepared 30 x 40 cm tray or trays, without pulling it paper-thin. Press the remaining 30 g sardines and the cheese cubes lightly into the surface, then cover with the cool onion-and-tomato sauce. Shaping and topping take about 10 minutes. Leave for about 30 minutes, until visibly puffy. Heat the conventional oven to 200°C during this rise.Use the final 1¼ tbsp oil to grease the tray and your hands. Spread the doubled dough evenly in the prepared 11¾ x 15¾ in tray or trays, without pulling it paper-thin. Press the remaining 1 oz sardines and the cheese cubes lightly into the surface, then cover with the cool onion-and-tomato sauce. Shaping and topping take about 10 minutes. Leave for about 30 minutes, until visibly puffy. Heat the conventional oven to 400°F during this rise.
Bake for about 35 minutes, checking within a 30–40 minute window. After about 17 minutes, scatter the toasted crumbs over the top and continue baking until the edges and underside are well colored and the middle is cooked through. Rest in the tray for 10 minutes, then cut each tray into six generous portions.Bake for about 35 minutes, checking within a 30–40 minute window. After about 17 minutes, scatter the toasted crumbs over the top and continue baking until the edges and underside are well colored and the middle is cooked through. Rest in the tray for 10 minutes, then cut each tray into six generous portions.