The panzerotti is a miniature handheld version of a calzone pizza; it can be deep-fried or baked in the oven. In the sixteenth century, panzerotti was born in Apulia, Bari, by an unknown housewife who transformed some leftover bread dough into a small square filled with tomato and mozzarella closed in a crescent shape and then fried.
Panzerotti can be sweet, filled with jam, and sprinkled on the top with powdered sugar. The filling can vary according to the region’s culinary traditions, such as spinach, meat, ricotta, broccoli rape, and sausages. Usually, panzerotti is stuffed with mozzarella, tomatoes, and oregano and then fried.
This fried panzerotti filled with ricotta and mozzarella cheese is the perfect recipe for the upcoming festivities.
Ingredients for 35 panzerotti
For the dough:
600gr of flour
150gr of Lard
Salt as required
200 ml. of lukewarm water
For the filling:
300gr of Ricotta
2 Eggs
500gr of Mozzarella
50gr of grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper enough
Salt as required
Frying oil
Directions on how to prepare the dough:
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On the workbench, place the flour in a fountain shape. Add salt, Lard melted in a pan but not too hot, add the lukewarm water, and mix everything a little at a time. Work it by using your hands until you get a soft dough. Allow the dough to rest for half an hour or when you need to prepare the filling.
Directions for the filling:
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Dice the mozzarella into small pieces in a bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients, ricotta, eggs, grated Parmesan, and pepper. Mix all well.
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Once the resting time of the dough has passed, roll it out on the workbench and work with a rolling pin until a thin disc.
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Distribute the filling with a spoon and fold the upper part of the dough over the filling. Cut the filled half-moons into panzerotti with glass and seal the edges.
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Till the dough is over
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Preheat the frying oil. Add the panzerotti to heated oil and cook them well on both sides till golden. Once you have cooked them to perfection, remove them from the oil, and place the panzerotti on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Enjoy your golden pillows still hot.
Buon appetito 😊
My recipe in painting 🙂