The origin dates back to the sixteenth century with the arrival of tomato in Italy, it seems in Bari. What is certain is that according to tradition the housewives used to prepare the panzerotti with the leftover bread dough placing tomatoes and cheese inside, offering them for a simple and poor, but certainly delicious dinner.

Today the panzerotto it has become a must of Apulian cuisine and is prepared in countless variations. Each has its own recipe or particular trick, for example the addition of oil, milk, crushed potato, but the real secrets are the quality of the ingredients and an excellent leavening.

This recipe belongs to Francesca, an Apulian doc who for many years now has been frying in Milan for family and friends, her record was preparing 200 fried panzerotti in one evening!
The recipe belongs to his mother-in-law who had the habit of preparing them and bringing them to the picnic Easter Monday together with calzone of onions and to baked pasta (to be light!).

Dose for about 20 panzerotti

Ingredients

dough
500 g flour
150 g water
100 g milk
25 g brewer's yeast
20 g softened butter
1 teaspoon salt

Stuffed
50 g olive oil
200 g cherry or peeled tomatoes
1 mozzarella or 1 spoonful of strong ricotta
grated pecorino romano
Salt and Pepper To Taste.
sunflower oil for frying

Method

Knead the ingredients and form a ball, cut it and let it rest for one hour at room temperature. In the meantime, fill a bowl with crushed and well-drained cherry or peeled tomatoes, put them in a pan with oil, salt and pepper (adding the salted ricotta) so that everything is flavored and takes a soft consistency. Let cool a little. Divide the dough into many balls and spread thin discs of the desired size, but sufficient for them to be filled and closed again. Let it rest for a few more minutes, then lay the filling and pecorino on it, finally close to form a crescent. It is important to pay close attention to closing to avoid opening during cooking.
If mozzarella is used instead of ricotta, drain it very well and cut it into cubes by adding it to the tomato and grated pecorino directly on the disc of pasta. Finish with a fresh basil leaf if you like.

Heat plenty of oil well in a large pan and fry a few panzerotti at a time: as soon as they take color on one side, it is good to turn them to cook the other. When they are golden brown drain and wait a few minutes before eating them.

There are countless variations for the filling, we offer for example turnip tops sautéed in a pan with oil and fiordilatte or a tastier filling with medium-aged caciocavallo and capocollo.

Text by Romina Ciferni

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