1 large potato, baked
1 ½ tsp. dry yeast
½ cup lukewarm water (95° to 100°F.)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
½ cup lukewarm milk (95° to 100°F.)
1 Tb. fruity olive oil
Flour
Light olive oil

In Palermo, each bakery, snack shop and street cart sells its own version of sfincione. It ranges from tiny pizzas with a variety of toppings to thick, square slabs of bread simply drizzled with olive oil. More delicate versions use potato in the dough, which gives it a moist yet crispy texture. We form our irregular shaped sfincione small enough to be easily held in the hand.

In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let sit in a warm draft-free place for 5 minutes or until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to combine.

In a large ceramic or glass bowl combine the potato, flour and salt. Form a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, milk and fruity olive oil. Blend to form a soft dough. On a lightly floured surface knead the dough, folding it towards you and pushing it away, until the dough is smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes. Flour the surface lightly as needed to prevent sticking. Gather the dough into a ball, lightly rub it with olive oil and place it in a large bowl. Let rise, covered with a towel, in a warm draft-free place, such as an oven with a pilot light, for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until double. Punch the dough down. (The dough can be covered with a plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.)

For each sfincione, pull off a 1-ounce piece of dough, about the size of a golf ball, and flatten slightly between your palms into a disk. Use your fingertips to hold the disc in the air, stretching in all directions to widen the round into a 4-inch circle. Lightly flour your hands if there is any sticking. The center should be thin enough to see the light through and the edges should have a ¼-inch thick rim. Place the round on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. When all rounds are formed, cover the cookie sheet with a towel and set it in a warm place to rise until the edges are doubled.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Bake the rounds on the floor of the oven for 7 to minutes or until the bottoms are brown. The top should be pale. (At this point sfincione can be cooled, wrapped and refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen up to 1 week.)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place the sfincione on a cookie sheet and top with desired ingredients (see COOK'S NOTE). If they are frozen it is not necessary to thaw them. Bake in the top third of the oven until toppings are hot and the crust is brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Brush the crust with a little olive oil and serve at once.

Makes 14 to 16 rounds.

COOK'S NOTE:
Choose a moist sauce or juicy vegetable: your favorite tomato sauce, fresh tomato slices, fried slices of green tomato or roasted peppers, for example. Top this with one or two other ingredients: cheeses, fresh herbs, bitter greens, olives, fried onions, raw peppers, capers, baked or pickled garlic.