Name: Tomato and anchovy sfinciuni
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 30 gm coarse fresh breadcrumbs (¼ cup); 3 large ripe Roma tomatoes, halved; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 sprig each thyme, basil and oregano; 6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped; 330 gm pizza flour (see note); 1½ tsp dried yeast; ¼ tsp caster sugar; 2 tbsp milk; 1 tbsp olive oil; For dusting: polenta or semolina; 80 gm Montasio cheese, diced (see note); For drizzling: extra-virgin olive oil

Our version of the Sicilian flatbread sfinciuni takes the form of a pie filled with the traditional anchovies and breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

30 gm coarse fresh breadcrumbs (¼ cup)

3 large ripe Roma tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 sprig each thyme, basil and oregano

6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

330 gm pizza flour (see note)

1½ tsp dried yeast

¼ tsp caster sugar

2 tbsp milk

1 tbsp olive oil

For dusting: polenta or semolina

80 gm Montasio cheese, diced (see note)

For drizzling: extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 150C. Spread breadcrumbs on an oven tray and cook until dried but not coloured (2-3 minutes). Set aside.

2.Increase oven to 220C and place a heavy oven tray in to heat. Squeeze seeds from tomatoes (discard), coarsely chop and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and stir occasionally until golden (8-10 minutes). Add tomato and herbs and stir occasionally until mixture is thick and pulpy (10-15 minutes). Remove herbs (discard), stir in anchovies, cook for another minute, season to taste, then cool to room temperature.

3.Combine flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp sea salt in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine milk, oil and 180ml lukewarm water in a jug, then, mixing on low speed, gradually add to flour mixture. Increase speed to medium and knead until smooth and elastic (4-5 minutes). Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and stand until doubled in size (30-40 minutes).

4.Knock down dough, divide in half and roll out one piece on a polenta-dusted piece of baking paper to a 28cm-diameter round. Scatter with half the breadcrumbs, leaving a 1cm border, then spread with tomato mixture. Scatter with cheese, then with remaining breadcrumbs, then brush edges with water.

5.Roll out remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 28cm-diameter round, place over tomato mixture, pinch edges together, then roll up edges and pleat to seal. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season and transfer, on baking paper, to preheated oven tray. Bake until puffed and golden brown (40-45 minutes), remove from oven and stand for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve hot.

Pizza flour is a strong baker’s flour. It’s available from select supermarkets and delicatessens. If it’s unavailable, substitute another strong flour. Montasio, a cow’s milk cheese from the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions, is available fresh, semi-aged and aged from select delicatessens; we used fresh. If it’s unavailable, substitute Fontina or stracchino.
This recipe is from the March 2013 issue of
.
Drink Suggestion: An Aperol spritz. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes

Styling by Emma Knowles

Profile Claire Delmar

Ingredients

Method

Main

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