Sicilian bars keep a gleaming array of yummy street food lining their counters. These treats are known, collectively, as "rosticeria siciliana." While they all look (and taste!) different, they're all based upon the same brioche-style dough.
What follows is the recipe for this dough, plus a guide on how to make some of the most classic styles. Feel free to improvise with your own fillings!
These pezzi (pieces) of rosticeria siciliana can either be fried or baked. Watery fillings (such as mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, or ricotta) should always be fried as they will leak when baked.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we make this dough here:
Makes 7-8 pezzi. Please note that we doubled the recipe in the video above, so amounts will vary.
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 1 tsp (4g) active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup (35g) sugar
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 4 1/8 cup (500g) all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 tbsp (60g) lard or 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 tbsp (20g) salt
For topping baked pezzi:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- Sesame seeds
For topping fried pezzi:
- All-purpose flour
- Water
- Breadcrumbs
See below for filling ideas!
In a stand mixer with a hook attachment, mix the water, yeast, sugar and honey at a low speed. Gradually add the flour until it is well-incorporated.
Next, mix in the lard or butter. When the lard is incorporated, add the salt.
Turn the speed up to medium and mix for 10 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead by hand until you can form a very smooth ball.
Place the dough in a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise until it has roughly doubled in size. This normally takes about 2 hours, but it can be a much longer process depending on the temperature. Try to place the dough in a warm place to speed things up.
When the dough has doubled, break off small individual balls and arrange them on a baking sheet so that they don't touch. We recommend using a scale to weigh the balls, aiming for 100g/each. Keep the dough balls covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry.
Now it's time to make the pezzi! After making each one, place them back under plastic. Allow them to rest for another hour before cooking them.
To bake them, preheat an oven to 355 degrees F (180 C). Make an egg wash by beating 1 egg with 1 tbsp whole milk. Brush this on the pezzi, top with sprinkled sesame seeds, and cook on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes or until golden on top.
To fry them, fill a large pan with 2-3 inches of frying oil. Bring up to medium/high temperature (until a breadcrumb dropped in begins to sizzle immediately) on the stovetop. Make a thin batter with all-purpose flour and water. Brush each pezzo with the batter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs so that the entire surface is covered. Fry each pezzo, carefully flipping to cook both sides, until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel to drain.
Here are a list of our favorite, traditional variations! Feel free to get creative, though!
Ravazzata con Ragù (Baked) / Rizzuola (Fried)
This pezzo is filled with a Sicilian ragù, and either baked or fried. See our arancini recipe for how to make the ragù, but be sure to drain it overnight to remove any excess moisture. Do so by placing the sauce in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge.
To complete the filling, mix a dollop of besciamella sauce into the ragù. You don't need much, just enough to make the ragù creamy!
Using your fingertips, spread a single serving of rosticeria dough into a flat disc. It should resemble a mini pizza, about 5 inches in diameter. Place a heaping tablespoon of ragù in the center. Fold the edges up and around the filling, pressing them tightly together. Make sure the "dumpling" is sealed close, otherwise it will open when cooked!
Let rise 1 hour. Follow the directions above to either bake or fry.
Ravazzata con Besciamella (Baked)
Make a batch of besciamella sauce, but cook it a little longer so that it becomes extra thick. Allow it to cool completely.
Set some besciamella aside for topping. Into the rest, mix chopped ham and a firm cheese of your choice.
Using your fingertips, spread a single serving of rosticeria dough into a flat disc. It should resemble a mini pizza, about 5 inches in diameter. Place a heaping tablespoon of the besciamella filling in the center. Fold the edges up and around the filling, pressing them tightly together. Make sure the "dumpling" is sealed close, otherwise it will open when cooked!
Let rise 1 hour. Before cooking, place a dollop of the besciamella you set aside on top. Brush the remaining top surface with egg wash before baking as directed above.
Calzone (Fried)
Make a simple pizza sauce by crushing canned whole peeled tomatoes with a fork and mixing in a drizzle of olive oil and salt to taste.
Using your fingertips, spread a single serving of rosticeria dough into a flat disc. It should resemble a mini pizza, about 5 inches in diameter. Place a spoonful of tomato sauce in the center with a few pieces of chopped mozzarella. Fold one side over the other and firmly press to seal the edges shut. It should resemble a half-circle.
Let rise 1 hour. Fry as directed above, but skip the batter/breading.
Pizzetta
Using your fingertips, spread a single serving of rosticeria dough into a flat disc. It should resemble a mini pizza, about 5 inches in diameter.
Let rise 1 hour. Before cooking, spread a heaping spoonful of tomato sauce on top—just like a pizza! Skip the egg wash and sesame seeds, but bake as directed above. About 5 minutes before it is done, add some chopped mozzarella on top. Continue baking until the cheese has melted.
Rollò (Baked)
Roll a single serving of dough into a long snake, about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap this in a spiral around a hotdog.
Let rise 1 hour. Follow the directions above to bake.
Iris (Fried)
Mix ricotta cheese with sugar to taste. Place in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let drain in the fridge over night. Mix in chocolate chips to taste.
Using your fingertips, spread a single serving of rosticeria dough into a flat disc. It should resemble a mini pizza, about 5 inches in diameter. Place a heaping tablespoon of ricotta filling in the center. Fold the edges up and around the filling, pressing them tightly together. Make sure the "dumpling" is sealed close, otherwise it will open when cooked!
Let rise 1 hour. Follow the directions above to fry.
