Pane Cunzatu
(pah-neh coon-ZAH-too)
Tuesday Night Cucina Povera: Sicilian Pantry Magic
In Sicily, they once called this the bread of misfortune. When a fisherman's pockets were empty, a humble loaf was rubbed with whatever potent staples sat in the pantry—heavy olive oil, dried oregano, perhaps a single anchovy—to make it taste like a feast. Today, it is the undisputed king of Sicilian street food. For a first-generation kid in an American suburb, this isn't just a sandwich; it is a sensory time machine. The secret isn't in the cooking, but the architecture: the bread must be hot enough to mimic a wood-fired oven, and the oiled halves must be pressed together to impregnate the crumb. Maximum old-world flavor, zero actual cooking.
Ingredients
- rustic bread1 large
- extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- ripe tomatoes3 med
- ricotta salata, young Manchego, or mild Pecorino Romano6 oz
- oil-packed anchovy fillets8 large
- dried oregano1 tbsp
- sea salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Revive the bread.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the whole loaf directly on the oven rack and heat it for 5 to 10 minutes, ensuring the crust becomes shatteringly crisp and the interior is beautifully warm.
- 02
Impregnate the crumb.
Remove the bread from the oven and carefully slice it in half horizontally. Generously drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the cut sides of both the top and bottom halves, then press the two bare halves back together and rub them slightly to distribute the oil evenly into the crumb without leaving dry patches.
- 03
Build the foundation.
Open the bread back up and layer the sliced tomatoes evenly across the bottom half. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with sea salt to draw out their juices so they can mingle with the oil.
- 04
Add the riches.
Layer the thinly sliced cheese over the tomatoes, allowing the residual heat from the bread to just barely soften it. Scatter the broken anchovy fillets evenly over the cheese.
- 05
Season and press.
Take the dried oregano in your palm and rub your hands together briskly over the sandwich to release the dormant essential oils, then add a few cracks of black pepper. Place the top half of the bread onto the sandwich and press down firmly with your palms to marry the ingredients.
- 06
Rest and serve.
Let the sandwich sit for two minutes so the steam, tomato juices, and oil become one. Cut into thick wedges and eat immediately.
Notes
A note on the cheese.
The most authentic cheese for this dish is Sicilian primo sale, a young sheep's milk cheese that can be difficult to track down in a standard American supermarket. Ricotta salata or a young Spanish Manchego are brilliant, accessible substitutes that offer the exact same texture and salty bite.