The essence of authentic Italian pizza is divided in its regional varieties. Naples may be the home of the original pizza, but it’s not the only style in the nation! Sicilian vs Neapolitan pizza is a heated debate among those living on the boot! So let’s explore what the fuss is about!
The land of Italy, rich with history and culinary wonders, has gifted the world with an array of delightful dishes – and we all know the most iconic (and delicious) of Italian exports is pizza! But it can become a difficult decision when trying to choose between Sicilian pizza vs Neapolitan pizza.
What is Sicilian vs Neapolitan Pizza?
(or should we be asking sfincione vs napoletana)?
Sicilian pizza (or “sfincione” in its homeland – which literally translates to “thick sponge”) finds its roots in Palermo, Sicily and was popularized in the mid-19th Century. Some (especially some Sicilians) might say that they aren’t Italian at all (they do have their own language) and therefore, they could even argue that this pizza isn’t Italian either.
We’ll leave that debate to those who live in Italy…or Sicily…err…you know what I mean!
Neapolitan pizza (or Pizza Napoletana), on the other hand, originated in Naples and is believed to have been created in the late 18th century.
The most obvious difference between the pizzas is in the dough but it doesn’t stop there. The two pizzas would generally use different tomatoes for the pizza sauce and different cheeses too!
What is Neapolitan Pizza?
Being “the original”, Neapolitan pizza has been recognized by UNESCO as one of Italy’s intangible cultural heritages. And as such, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) sets a very high and specific bar for making the true original – Neapolitan pizzas and Neapolitan pizza doughs.
But the essence of Neapolitan pizza is that is made with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and the dough is soft and chewy. The dough is made with fewer ingredients, including high-protein flour (typically 00), water, salt, and yeast. The dough is left to rise at room temperature for one day.
Because of the extremely high temperature of the pizza oven and the thin crust, Neapolitan pizza cooks in just (about) 4 minutes and gets the lovely “leopard spots”.
What Is Sicilian Pizza?
Sicilian pizza differs in almost every way (except perhaps the toppings). This style evolved from ancient civilizations’ bread traditions that occupied Sicily, including Greeks, Romans, and Arabs.
Traditional Sicilian pizza generally has a thick crust, is typically rectangular (but doesn’t have to be), uses pomodoro di Pachino (or Pachino tomatoes) which can come in four varieties, including cherry and grape tomatoes. Alternatively, Sicilian pizza sauce may be made from Rosso Sicilian tomatoes, which appear to be only available in the US by growing them yourself! But these unique heirloom tomatoes appear to be a great choice for a sauce.
If you’re looking for a quick, authentic sauce option, you could try this cherry tomato sauce by Agromonte which is available from Amazon.
Sicilian pizzas are then generally topped with strong, savory ingredients like onions, anchovies, and strong cheeses like toma or caciocavallo (aka horse cheese, even though it doesn’t come from horses!).
Sicilian pizza is also baked at a lower temperature (and therefore longer) and commonly “tavern cut” into squares or rectangles (which does make it very nice for a pizza party!).
The American Evolution
Sicilian pizza did undergo a bit of an evolution when coming across the Atlantic Ocean to America, where we generally find the toppings to be tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a wide variety of toppings. It’s akin to a focaccia-crust pizza loaded with toppings.
So What Should I Make? Neapolitan vs Sicilian Pizza?
Well, of course you’re not going to go wrong making either. Both pizzas are delicious!
But let’s look at some of the reasons you might make Sicilian vs Neapolitan pizza…
Reasons to Make Neapolitan Pizza
Some of the best reasons to choose Neapolitan pizza are:
- You have 2-4 people to serve (Neapolitan pizza is smaller)
- You have a very hot pizza oven
- You can cook it on a pizza stone
- You have 00 flour available
- You prefer simpler pizza with less toppings
- You have San Marzano tomatoes
- You like milder cheese like mozzarella
- You like thin, chewy pizza crust
Reasons to Make Sicilian Pizza
Some of the best reasons to choose Sicilian pizza are:
- You have 4 or more people to serve (pizza party anyone?)
- You have a conventional oven and a baking pan/sheet
- You have high protein flour available (generally recommended to be 13%-14%)
- You love to load up your pizza with toppings
- You have cherry, grape, or heirloom tomatoes (or sauce) – preferably with a savory flavor (so preferably no sugar!)
- You like strong cheeses like caciocavallo, toma, or provolone
- You like a crispy pizza crust
- You have more time to proof your dough in advance
How to Make Neapolitan Pizza
Rather than include the same instructions here, if you’re ready to make true Neapolitan Pizza, you’ll want to go to our Neapolitan dough recipe article here. From there, you can choose from a number of Neapolitan pizza recipes for your topping choices. (The recipe card is also found at the bottom of this article).
How to Make Sicilian Pizza
Making Sicilian Pizza
The best Sicilian pizza is going to require a long proofing time. If you’ve got the patience to give your pizza the 48+ hours it needs to proof properly, you’re going to wind up with a delicious, airy pizza that’s still beautifully crispy.
Sicilian Pizza Ingredients
Sicilian dough contains similar ingredients to its Neapolitan counterpart, but is allowed to rise multiple times, leading to a thicker, bread-like crust. It’s reminiscent of focaccia, and when baked in a nice, well-oiled baking tray/pan, the bottom gets crispy while the inside remains soft.
Sicilian pizza uses a high-protein (or high-gluten flour). You’ll probably find great results using King Arthur’s High-Gluten Flour, which has a 14.2% protein level. As with most other pizza doughs, you’ll also need water and salt and you can either use yeast or a pizza starter, such as poolish. Since it’s already two days to get this pizza ready, we’re going to go with yeast.
You’re also going to need olive oil for this pizza to get its crispy outer edge.
Our recipe is going to fit a standard baking (cookie) sheet of 10″ x 15″. Generally, you would want a pan at least an inch tall on the sides, but we’re making this work for the most common house-hold pan.
- 3.5 cups of high-protein (high-gluten) flour
- 1/3 cups of filtered or bottled water, luke-warm (below 110F)
- 1 cup of filtered or bottled ice water
- 1/2 tablespoons of dry active yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, separated
Pizza Toppings: Traditional Sicilian
Although you can make a Sicilian Pizza with any toppings you like, the classic from the toe of the boot typically include:
- 1 cup of crushed, savory cherry, grape, or heirloom tomatoes (or tomato sauce without sugar)
- For a premade sauce, you could try this cherry tomato sauce by Agromonte.
- 1 ounces of anchovies, cut into quarters
- 1 cup of sliced white onions
- 2 cups of caciocavallo or toma cheese (an easier to find substitute is provolone)
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/4 cut chopped, fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons of dried basil)
Pizza Toppings: Grandma Pizza Recipe
If you’re not so keen on such an intense pizza, another great option for a Sicilian dough is to go with the “grandma” recipe:
- 1 cups of crushed, savory tomatoes (or tomato sauce without sugar)
- 2 cups of caciocavallo or toma cheese (an easier to find substitute is provolone)
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons of dried basil)
Directions for Making Sicilian Pizza
Day 1: Preparing the Dough
- Put a small dish of water near your work area to wet your hands as needed.
- In a stand mixer bowl, put in the warm water and add the yeast and whisk. Allow to mix for 5 minutes so that foam appears.
- Add 1 cup of flour and mix in the stand mixer at its slowest setting.
- Add the cold water and continue to mix.
- Slowly add the rest of the flour. The dough will still be very sticky and will not look very smooth yet.
- Wet your hands and pull the dough off of the hook
- Add the salt and continue to mix for another 1 minute
- Add 1 teaspoons of olive oil and continue to mix. You may need to stop the mixer and pull the dough from the hook occasionally to ensure the dough is mixing well.
- Use a brush to coat a baking pan with 1 teaspoon of oil.
- Wet your hands and transfer the dough to the baking pan.
- Re-wet your hands.
- Stretch the dough by pulling it left and right, then fold the stretched parts on top.
- Turn the pan a quarter turn and repeat. It will look like an envelope.
- Fold the corners into the center and pinch together.
- Turn over the dough using your wet hands and smooth the edges.
- Cover the pan in plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Place the covered pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Day 2: Finishing the Dough
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up for 1 to 2 hours on the countertop.
- Use a brush to oil a second baking sheet with another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Invert the first pan and allow the dough to fall from the first pan onto the second. The dough will still be very sticky, so use a wetted spatula or dough scraper if it does not completely come away by itself.
- Flip the dough over so both sides are oiled.
- Gently using the fingers of both hands, press the dough outward (not pulling) to stretch the dough towards the edges of the baking sheet. The dough won’t likely get all the way to the edges this first time. Don’t tear the dough trying to get to the edges, but try to get it about the right shape of the pan.
- Let the dough rest uncovered in a warm space away from any draft for 30 minutes. The dough will contract but it will also start expanding.
- Repeat the stretching. Gently stretch the dough out but don’t over work the dough. Try to preserve the pillowy, airy texture. Again, try to stretch the dough to the corners – it will still likely not reach the corners completely.
- Let the dough rest uncovered again in a warm space, away from any draft for 90 minutes. The dough should rise to the edge of the pan and fill it entirely now. Even if it doesn’t, do not stretch or press the dough again.
Cooking the Pizza
- When ready to form the dough, make sure it is at room temperature (if it has been refrigerated, you should give it at least 45 minutes to come to temperature).
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone big enough, you can cook the pizza in the pan on top of the pizza stone.
- Add your sauce, toppings (except the basil), then cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan.
- Bake for another 7 minutes until the top of the crust is golden and the cheese is browning.
- Remove the pan and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Use a spatula to transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
- Sicilian pizza is generally cut “tavern style”, meaning into squares or rectangles.
In Conclusion: A Tale of Two Pizzas
Both Sicilian and Neapolitan pizzas offer a joyful journey through the Italian palette. While they share the same motherland (well, arguably), their distinct textures, flavors, and preparations set them worlds apart. Neapolitan pizza, with its simple ingredients and swift baking, reflects the fast-paced life of Naples. In contrast, the thick, hearty Sicilian pie embodies the island’s layered history and diverse influences.
Whether you’re a fan of the thick, hearty slices of Sicilian pizza or the soft, minimalist charm of the Neapolitan, one thing is certain: Italy’s gift of pizza to the world is a testament to the country’s unparalleled culinary diversity!
Enjoy!
Sicilian Grandma Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Baking Pans (At least one needs to be a 15" x 10" Baking/cookie sheet)
- 1 Pizza Scissors (Optional)
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups bread flour (high high protein)
- ¼ cups water warm – no higher than 110°F (filtered/bottled preferred)
- 1 cup water ice water (filtered/bottled preferred)
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt fine
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided into 3x 1/2 tablespoons
Grandma Pizza Toppings
- 1 cup tomato sauce crushed or pureed. Savory cherry tomatoes preferred.
- 2 cups provolone cheese grated (caciocavallo or toma is more traditional)
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ cup basil leaves fresh, chopped (or 2 teaspoons of dried)
Instructions
Day 1: Starting the Dough
- Put a small dish of water near your work area to wet your hands as needed.
- In a stand mixer bowl, put in the warm water and add the yeast and whisk. Allow to mix for 5 minutes so that foam appears.
- Add 1 cup of flour and mix in the stand mixer at its slowest setting.
- Add the cold water and continue to mix.
- Slowly add the rest of the flour. The dough will still be very sticky and will not look very smooth yet.
- Wet your hands and pull the dough off of the hook
- Add the salt and continue to mix for another 1 minute
- Add 1 teaspoons of olive oil and continue to mix. You may need to stop the mixer and pull the dough from the hook occasionally to ensure the dough is mixing well.
- Use a brush to coat a baking pan with 1 teaspoon of oil.
- Wet your hands and transfer the dough to the baking pan.
- Re-wet your hands.
- Stretch the dough by pulling it left and right, then fold the stretched parts on top.
- Turn the pan a quarter turn and repeat. It will look like an envelope.
- Fold the corners into the center and pinch together.
- Turn over the dough using your wet hands and smooth the edges.
- Cover the pan in plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Place the covered pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours (up to 48 hours).
Day 2: Finishing the Dough and Making the Pizza
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up for 1 to 2 hours on the countertop.
- Use a brush to oil a second baking sheet with another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Invert the first pan and allow the dough to fall from the first pan onto the second. The dough will still be very sticky, so use a wetted spatula or dough scraper if it does not completely come away by itself.
- Flip the dough over so both sides are oiled.
First Stretch
- Gently using the fingers of both hands, press the dough outward (not pulling) to stretch the dough towards the edges of the baking sheet. The dough won’t likely get all the way to the edges this first time. Don’t tear the dough trying to get to the edges, but try to get it about the right shape of the pan.
- Let the dough rest uncovered in a warm space away from any draft for 30 minutes. The dough will contract but it will also start expanding.
Second Stretch
- Oil your fingers and gently “pillow” (press like you’re playing the piano) the dough to cover the entire pan. Try to preserve the airy texture but also trying to get the dough evenly distributed across the pan. It will still likely not reach the corners completely.
- Let the dough rest uncovered again in a warm space, away from any draft for 90 minutes. The dough should rise to the edge of the pan and fill it entirely now. Even if it doesn’t, do not stretch or press the dough again.
Cooking the Pizza
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone big enough, you can cook the pizza in the pan on top of the pizza stone.
- Add your sauce, toppings (except the basil), then cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan.
- Bake for another 7 minutes until the top of the crust is golden and the cheese is browning.
- Remove the pan and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Use a spatula to transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
- Add the basil.
- Sicilian pizza is generally cut “tavern style”, meaning into squares or rectangles.
Notes
Nutrition
Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer (Optional)
- 1 Wood-burning pizza oven AVPN says this is required, but use what you've got!
Ingredients
- .75 Cups Water Tap, filtered or bottled drinking water. Do not use reverse osmosis purified water.
- 1 ½ Tsp Sea salt
- 2 Cups 00 Pizza Flour
- 0.01 Ounces Dry yeast (1/2 of 1/8 Teaspoons)
- 2 Tbsp Semolina flour (if you don't have semolina, any flour will do, including 00 or all-purpose)
Instructions
- Pour the water into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Pour the salt into the water and whisk (or stir) until the salt is dissolved.Add about 1/4 cup of flour into the water.
- Start your stand mixer using the hook attachment on its slowest setting.
- Add the yeast to the water.
- Slowly add more flour. Not all flour hydrates the same, so it may be that you'll need a little less or a little more flour.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can do this all by hand. Just make a "volcano" of all of the flour and pour the water into the middle. Slowly move and mix the "volcano" walls into the water.
Checking the Dough
- The dough will form into a single compact ball.· When this happens, stop the mixer and check the texture. · Dust your hands with flour and pull the dough off of the hook. · Knead the dough in your hands. · The texture and moistness should be consistent throughout. If it is not, return it to the mixer and check again. · The dough should be slightly tacky and smooth but should not be leaving much sticking to your hands. If it is, return it to the mixer and continue adding flour – slowly. · The final dough ball should be "fat" in appearance and sticky, soft, elastic, and smooth to the touch.
First Fermentation
- Place the dough on a clean surface and cover with a damp cloth for one hour. The damp cloth is important to keep the outer surface from drying out.
Second Fermentation
- Remove the damp cloth and separate the dough into two balls of equal size (this recipe will make two dough balls approximately 9.5 to 9.9 ounces – which is right at the upper size limit).
- Work the two halves into balls (the traditional technique is to shape them the same way Italians prepare fresh mozzarella balls).
- Place the two balls into one or two sealed containers – the dough balls will double in size, so make sure they have enough room.
- Let the dough rest for 24 hours at room temperature.
Stretching the Dough
- After the second fermentation, the dough will have become extensible (meaning you can stretch it) but not very elastic.
- Put 1 tablespoon of flour on your work surface. Some people prefer to use semolina flour for this but I just use the same flour my dough is made from.
- Remove one dough ball from its container onto the floured work surface.
- Stretch the dough by hand from the center to the edge. Create a round shape but ensure that the edge of the crust is about 0.5" tall and 0.5" to 1" wide and the rest of the crust is very thin (less than two pennies, if you can).(If needed, add more flour to the work surface so the pizza does not stick, but do not use more than you need)
- With this recipe (which makes two 9 ounce pizza dough balls), you should be able to make up to a 12" pizza.
- Put 1 tablespoon of flour (semolina is often a good choice) on your pizza peel (so the dough will not stick when launched into the oven). I don't recommend using cornmeal at such hot temperatures.
- Transfer your dough to the pizza peel.
- You will want to quickly apply your toppings and get the pizza into the oven before the dough sticks to the peel.
- Launch the pizza into the oven on the hottest part of the stone without being in the flames.
- Before rotating the pizza, make sure that Rotate the pizza one quarter turn every 45 seconds. Generally, the pizza will be done in 6 minutes or less. So watch it closely!
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for about 3 minutes.
- Cut and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are going to cook this in a conventional oven, you’ll want the highest temperature you can get the oven to.
- If you have a pizza stone (or pizza steel), that’s going to help a lot in getting the most authentic crust. If not, a pizza pan (or cookie sheet) will still turn out a great pizza.
- You can either start the pizza on a pan (or cookie sheet) and transfer it to the stone after about 10 minutes (when the crust is firm enough to be safely transferred). At this point, turn off the oven and let the pizza cook on the stone for another 5 minutes. Remove and let rest on a cutting board for another 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
- Alternatively, you can start by launching the pizza directly to the pizza stone in your oven. This is more tricky and you might want to practice with some dough with no toppings!
- 5 fluid ounces of water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups plus 2 tbsp of type 00 flour
- 1/2 of 1/8 teaspoons of yeast
Nutrition
Todd’s cooking skills have revolved around the grill since about age 12, when he developed a love for grilling and took over for Mom at the BBQ. He worked at Wendy’s and at Earl’s Tin Palace (a restaurant chain in Canada) but never really did any sort of baking…until he and Heather started making pizza together! Now he’s often making dough in the mornings and pizza in the evenings.