Spinguni is a Sicilian-style “pizza” with a focaccia-like crust. Growing up, it was (and still is) my favorite holiday treat! Okay, let’s be real, it’s my favorite any time of the year and if I could eat an entire pan, I would.
It’s not really pizza (don’t let the Italians hear you call it pizza either) but it’s the closest thing to describe it…Spinguni is truly a one-of-a-kind dish that is life-changing! I don’t know if the magic comes from the actual dish or all of the love and care that goes into it, but either way it is amazing and you need to try it now.
My mom’s family is from Italy and has deep roots that have been passed down for generations- in those roots, our family recipes are the ones we are most proud of! Seriously, if you have never had homemade meatballs made by an Italian, you have no idea what you are missing- what Americans consider Italian food is just sad when compared to the real deal😂
I love learning about my family’s history, and this recipe has always made me feel closer to the Italian blood that runs through my veins- it sounds silly, but knowing that it has been passed down for generations makes me feel closer to the family I had, and still have, across the world.
My family has always called it Spinguni, but I have recently learned that its traditionally spelled Sfinguni and can also be known as Sfincione Siciliano depending on how you make it. If you look up recipes for any variation, you won’t find a lot, as it can be different for every family and region and isn’t widely shared.
I have been waiting to share this recipe with you and now its the perfect time to share the greatness!
Here is what you need to make my family’s Spinguni:
Bread
There are a few ways to make the bread/crust for Spinguni:
- Use 1 box of a quick bread recipe
- Frozen bread dough
- Make your own (my fav and the only way I will make it)
To make your own bread, you will need:
- 1 envelop of rapid rise yeast
- 1 1/4 cups of hot water
- 3 1/4 cups of bread flour
- 2 tbsp butter, softened and cut in cubes
- 2 tbsp of olive oil + some
- 1 tbsp of granulated sugar
- A Stand Mixer (this is the one we have and it is amazing😍)
Filling
- 1 lb of ground beef
- 5 oz of Grated parmesan cheese- a handful for the filling + the rest for topping
- 2-3 tbsp of garlic powder for the filling + some for topping
- 2-3 tbsp of Parsley for topping
- 1/2 of a white onion diced (my family doesn’t traditionally use an onion but I add it and it makes it even more heavenly so I 10/10 recommend using some in the filling😍)
- 2 tbsp of butter to brush on top
Traditionally, you put sardine’s in the filling, but ya girl doesn’t do stinky little fish so I leave that part out BUT you can add them if you want!
Here is how you make my family’s Spinguni:
- Mix ground beef, garlic, and a handful of parmesan – don’t cook meat, it will cook when you bake the bread. Once mixed, place in refrigerator while dough is being prepared.
- Make bread mixture however you choose, and prepare for it to rise.
- If you are making the bread by hand, follow the steps below:
- Using your stand mixer with a dough hook, combine flour, yeast, water, olive oil, sugar, and butter and mix for 5-6 minutes or until dough sticks to hook in a single dough ball form (we are getting really fancy over here with this terminology😉)
- Once mixed, take dough out of mixer and place onto a heavily floured surface and knead.
- Dough will start out dry, this is normal. Knead dough and add in sprinkles of flour, keep kneading until dough becomes sticky to your hand, soft, and smooth. Dough will be ready when you are able to press a finger on it and it bounces back. Use your judgement.
- Heavily grease a bowl with olive oil and let proof for 1.5 hours covered with plastic wrap or towel- once risen, punch dough down with finger.
- Once you punch the dough down, using a greased baking sheet, spread dough out as much as it can without pulling apart.
- Take clumps of beef mixture and spread the clumps around your unbaked dough.
- Sprinkle entire dish with extra garlic powder and parsley.
- Melt butter and brush on top.
- Cover entire dish with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes (this is a second proof).
- Once risen, cover the entire dish with parmesan cheese.
- Then, bake on 375* for 27-30 minutes, or until golden brown on bottom and cheese is melted.
I know that you are going to love Spinguni just like I do! I hope that you enjoy the hard work, patience, and extra love that goes into this special dish❤️
Want to see more family recipes? Check out my Mom’s Famous Pumpkin Bread (trust me, you’ll crave it all year round)!
