Sicilian Pizza Dough

This is the lazy cook’s path to Sicilian-style pizza dough: dump it in the bread machine, walk away, and come back to a soft, pillowy dough ready to stretch into a sheet pan. Sicilian dough is wetter and richer than Neapolitan, so it bakes up airy in the middle with a crisp golden bottom. The thick crust is the hallmark.

Dry milk powder is the under-the-radar ingredient here. It tenderizes the crumb and gives the crust a subtle creaminess and nicer browning than water-only doughs. The tablespoon of butter does similar work, softening the chew without making it cake-tender.

Pull the dough before the bake cycle. The bread machine kneads and proofs but its bake cycle is wrong for pizza. After the second 30-minute rest under a damp towel, it’ll be airy and easy to press into a pizza tray without snapping back.

For the classic Sicilian finish, oil the pan generously, press the dough out, and let it relax 10 minutes before topping. The oil fries the bottom into that signature crisp, chewy crust.

Kitchen Tips

• Warm water should feel like a baby’s bath, around 110°F (43°C). Hotter and you’ll kill the yeast.
• Don’t skip the post-machine rise. That second proof builds the open, airy crumb Sicilian dough is known for.
• Use a heavy rectangular sheet pan or Sicilian pizza pan. Thin pans warp and bake unevenly.
• For maximum crisp bottom, bake on the lowest oven rack at 475°F (245°C).

Variations

• Swap 1 cup of bread flour into the mix for a stronger, chewier crumb.
• Add 2 teaspoons of dried oregano or rosemary to the dough for a herbaceous crust.
• For a longer-fermented, more flavorful dough, refrigerate after the bread machine cycle and bake the next day.