Are you wondering how to pronounce this strange name of this all-Sicilian leavened bread? Let me explain: you know when you like some food and say “mmhh”, well, this word starts like that, then continues with the B and everything that follows. For those who are not Sicilian, it might not be easy to imitate some dialect sounds, but I assure you that Sicilian ‘Mbriulate are special. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they are rolled out into a fairly thin sheet and then stuffed with sausage, cheese, plenty of stewed onions, and black olives (“i passuluna”, called this way because they are matured in salt, during which time they release some of their liquid and become wrinkled, then they are stored in oil for preservation). They are then rolled over themselves, twisted, cut, and rolled again to form a sort of crown. What can I say? They are incredibly good, and if you love making leavened breads at home, you should try them.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 716.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 66.67 (g) of which sugars 6.74 (g)
- Proteins 25.21 (g)
- Fat 40.51 (g) of which saturated 6.40 (g)of which unsaturated 4.13 (g)
- Fibers 6.77 (g)
- Sodium 2,011.77 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 220 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Sicilian ‘Mbriulate
- 2 cups semolina flour
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/8 cups water
- 0.42 oz fresh yeast
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 tsps salt
- 21 oz white onions
- 12.35 oz sausage
- 5.3 oz cheese (cubed)
- 5.3 oz black olives (pitted)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
What You Need for Sicilian ‘Mbriulate
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 Baking Sheets
- 1 Work Surface
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Frying Pan
- Plastic Wrap
Procedure for Sicilian ‘Mbriulate
To make the Sicilian ‘Mbriulate, the dough can be made either by hand or with a stand mixer. I used the latter for time reasons.
Put the two types of flour in the stand mixer’s bowl. Add the yeast dissolved in warm water and start mixing. Also add the oil and salt.
Let it work until the dough becomes smooth and homogeneous, wrapping itself around the mixer’s hook.
At this point, take it out and place it in an oiled bowl, covering it with plastic wrap or another bowl turned upside down.
Let it rise for about an hour or until doubled in a draft-free place. In winter, the ideal would be to let the dough rise in the turned-off oven with the light on.
While it’s rising, prepare the onions by peeling, thinly slicing, and placing them in a pan where you’ve heated some oil.
Stew the onions over moderate heat, covered, stirring often. If they dry out before fully cooking, add a bit of water and continue cooking.
When the onions are cooked, let them cool. This can be done in advance, even the day before, to have them ready when needed.
Naturally, in this case, take the onions out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for an hour.
Once the rising time has passed, take the dough and divide it into two parts to make it easier to roll out the sheet.
Lightly oil the surface where you will roll out the dough and roll the first portion with the rolling pin to obtain a thin, rectangular sheet.
Brush a little oil over the rolled-out dough and grease the entire surface. Distribute half of the filling ingredients, as there are two dough pieces: sausage, cheese cubes, stewed onions, and black olives.
Finish the filling with a small pinch of salt, as there are already salty ingredients, and some pepper. Now roll the sheet on itself and stretch, trying to further elongate the roll.
Cut into pieces about 8 inches long and roll to form a kind of snail shape. Arrange them on a non-stick baking sheet, spacing them as they will still increase in volume.
After the second rising, which can last 30 to 45 minutes, bake in a hot oven at 390°F for about 30 minutes or until they are well cooked and have colored on the surface.
The Sicilian ‘Mbriulate are ready to be enjoyed either hot or warm. Enjoy your meal!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How can I store them?
In the fridge for a couple of days, or in the freezer. When consuming, just heat them in the oven at moderate heat and they will be like freshly baked.
Can I use grated cheese instead of cubes?
Sure, I often do it too.
