← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 300 g Strong bread flour
• 200 g fine semolina (semola rimacinata)
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 350 ml Water, lukewarm
• 10 g Salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tray
• 2 Onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 6 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 2 cans tinned plum tomatoes (2 × 400 g), crushed
• 2 tsp Dried oregano
• 120 g caciocavallo or provolone, cut into small cubes
• 50 g Breadcrumbs
• 30 g Pecorino romano, grated

Method

1. Mix the flours, yeast and sugar, add the water and knead for 10 min until soft and elastic, adding the salt and 2 tbsp of the oil halfway. Cover and leave to rise for 1½–2 hours, until doubled.
2. For the sauce, cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10 min until soft. Stir in the anchovies until they melt, then add the tomatoes, half the oregano and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 30 min until thick.
3. Oil a 30 × 40 cm baking tray generously. Tip in the dough and press it out to the edges with oiled fingers. Cover and leave for 30 min, until puffy.
4. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, 425°F). Press the cheese cubes into the dough, then spread the sauce thickly over the top.
5. Mix the breadcrumbs, pecorino, the rest of the oregano and the remaining oil and scatter over the sauce.
6. Bake for 25–30 min, until the base is golden and crisp underneath and the crumbs are toasted. Cool a little and cut into squares; it is just as good at room temperature.

Tips

• In Palermo it is sold from three-wheeled carts at Christmas and all year round.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food Inside The Rustic Kitchen Great Italian Chefs