What is the pane cunzato and how to prepare it at home

When I say "pane cunzato" I remember my beloved Sicily, our warm sun, our beaches, the many nature reserves overlooking the sea.
The pane cunzato is a traditional Sicilian sandwich, eating it under one of our umbrellas, overlooking the sea, is one of the experiences that you absolutely must do sooner or later.
You can also prepare it at home, waiting to get to know our area.
The "Pane cunzato" in Sicilian dialect is one of the masterpieces of Sicilian gastronomy that I love most.
It is my first choice when I want to have a picnic by the sea or when I prepare a quick snack at home.
Its flavor is very tasty and I love it because, knowing its history, my thoughts always go back to a Sicily of many years ago.
In fact, in ancient times, the pane cunzato was called the "bread of misfortune”.
Like most of our typical Sicilian dishes, it was prepared in the homes of sicilian people who have always known how to make a virtue of necessity, in times when many left their native land to seek their fortune elsewhere.
In those days, Sicilian families did not always have a “rich” lunch.
In place of a complete meal, this bread was usually seasoned with products that were easy to find and above all low cost.
A piece of cheese and a tomato, however, could always be found because they were often produced at home.
The luckiest ones added the oil of a sardine so as to enjoy, if not the pleasure of chewing the meat, at least the aroma and the salty scent.
To give an extra perfume, they used the oregano they had at home.
Once the sandwich was stuffed, they heated it in the ovens, then added some olive oil.
The recipe of the pane cunzato has not changed over time and has remained the same and it is the same that you will find at the Hotel Piccolo Mondo in San Vito Lo Capo for breakfast so as to start your day at the beach with a large dose of energy!
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
What do you need:
1 bread
6 Sicilian anchovies in oil
2 red tomatoes not overripe
200 g first Sicilian salt
Origan
extra virgin olive oil
salt
Instructions and tips:
Cut the bread like a sandwich;
First add the anchovy fillets cut into two or three pieces;
Then the tomato washed and cut into slices;
Add oregano and salt;
Finally, the cheese cut into thin slices.
Final tip: once seasoned, bake for a few minutes (no more than 5) in order to heat the bread and melt the cheese a little.
I'm Marco, how can I help you?