Sfincione

Directions

To make the dough, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade, combine the flour, salt, yeast, 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and the water. Pulse until the dough comes together in a ball, about 30 seconds.

Pour the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Using your hands or a pastry brush, evenly coat the bottom and sides of the pan with the oil. Using lightly oiled hands, transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and turn to coat with the oil. Shape the dough into a round, then gently spread the dough toward the sides of the baking sheet; the dough will not reach the edges at this point. Cover the baking sheet with an oiled piece of plastic wrap, then set aside in a warm place for 2 1/2 hours; the dough will slowly rise and spread toward the edges of the pan.

While the dough is rising, make the sauce. In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the sugar, a big pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring and crushing the tomatoes with the back of the spoon, until combined, about 3 minutes. Bring to a vigorous simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 25 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool completely.

Arrange a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C).

To assemble the sfincione, remove the plastic wrap from the dough and, using oiled hands, gently push and stretch the dough to fill the entire pan, including into the corners. (If the dough springs back, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest to allow the dough to relax, up to 30 minutes more.)

Arrange the mozzarella slices evenly over the dough, overlapping them as needed to fit. Spoon about half of the sauce over the top, spreading it in an even layer with the back of the spoon. If desired, add a bit more sauce, but keep some of it reserved for serving. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup (3 oz./90 g) of the pecorino.

Bake until the cheese is melted, the tomato sauce deepens in color and the bottom of the pizza is golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes, tenting the top of the pizza with aluminum foil if necessary to keep the cheese from burning. (Keep cooking until the bottom is well crisped—a hallmark of sfincione.)

Meanwhile, gently rewarm the remaining sauce over low heat. Transfer to a small bowl for serving.

Remove the sfincione from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) pecorino and cut into slices. Serve warm or at room temperature with the remaining tomato sauce alongside for dipping. Serves 4.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen