Panzerotti Recipe (Traditional Italian Fried Pizza Pockets)

Panzerotti Pugliesi are one of Puglia's most beloved street foods: small, golden fried pizza pockets filled with tomato and melted mozzarella.

The dough is similar to pizza dough, but once fried it becomes beautifully puffed and golden, with a crisp exterior and a soft, tender center. The classic filling is simple—tomato and mozzarella—although many variations with cheese, cured meats, or vegetables are also popular.

According to tradition, Panzerotti originated in Puglia as a humble way to use leftover bread dough, filling small pieces with simple ingredients before frying them. What began as an inexpensive homemade dish eventually became one of the region's most iconic street foods.

In this panzerotti recipe, I'll show you how to make traditional homemade Panzerotti step by step, from preparing and proofing the dough to filling, sealing, and frying them.

The key is to let the dough rise properly, keep the filling relatively dry, seal the edges carefully, and fry the Panzerotti at the right temperature. The result is a crisp, golden shell with a hot, gooey mozzarella and tomato center.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to Make Panzerotti
• Tips for Perfect Panzerotti
• What Is the Best Flour for Panzerotti?
• Panzerotti Variations
• Storage
• Panzerotti vs Calzone: What's the Difference?
• Origins of Panzerotti
• More Traditional Puglian Recipes to Try
• Recipe Card

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Ingredients

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Tips for Perfect Panzerotti

Let the dough, not the clock, tell you when it's ready. Rising times can change depending on room temperature and the strength of the yeast. After the first rise, the dough should look noticeably expanded, soft, and airy. The individual dough balls should also become puffy before you roll them out.

Use as little extra flour as possible when shaping. Too much flour on the work surface can dry out the dough and, especially around the edges, make the Panzerotti more difficult to seal. If necessary, lightly flour the rolling pin and surface, then brush away any excess flour before adding the filling.

If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest. When a disk contracts as soon as you roll it out, the gluten is still too tense. Leave it covered for 5–10 minutes, then try again. It should stretch much more easily.

Keep the filling cool and relatively dry. The tomato mixture should not be watery, and the mozzarella should release as little liquid as possible. A wet filling can soften the dough from the inside and make the Panzerotti more likely to leak during frying.

Fill only the Panzerotti you're ready to fry. Don't assemble all of them and leave them sitting on the counter. Once filled, the moisture from the tomato and mozzarella gradually penetrates the dough. For the best results, shape and fill a few at a time and fry them soon after sealing.

Keep the unused dough covered. Both the dough balls and the rolled dough can quickly develop a dry surface when exposed to air. A dry edge is harder to seal and can crack during frying.

Don't make the disks paper-thin. The dough should be thin enough to cook quickly and puff in the oil, but it still needs enough strength to contain the hot filling. Aim for an even thickness, especially around the center where the filling sits.

Give the oil time to recover between batches. Even if it starts at the correct temperature, adding Panzerotti cools it down. Let the oil return to about 175°C (350°F) before frying the next batch; otherwise the dough can absorb more oil instead of becoming crisp and golden.

What Is the Best Flour for Panzerotti?

For this recipe, I use an equal mixture of Italian "00" flour and fine durum wheat semolina (semola rimacinata).

The "00" flour helps create a smooth, elastic dough that is easy to stretch, while the semola rimacinata gives the Panzerotti a slightly more rustic texture and a beautifully crisp exterior after frying.

You can also make Panzerotti using only "00" flour. If semola rimacinata is difficult to find, simply use 500 g (17.6 oz) of "00" flour instead. The dough will still work well, although the finished Panzerotti may be slightly softer.

A dough made entirely with semola rimacinata is also possible, but it has a firmer, more rustic texture. For homemade Panzerotti, I find that the 50/50 combination gives the best balance between elasticity and crispness.

Panzerotti Variations

Filling Ideas

The classic Apulian filling is tomato and mozzarella, but Panzerotti can be prepared with many different fillings. Here are some popular variations:

Tomato, Mozzarella and Herbs. Add a fresh basil leaf or a pinch of dried oregano to the classic tomato and mozzarella filling.

Ham and Mozzarella. This variation is especially popular around Taranto. Fill the Panzerotti with mozzarella and cooked ham, either with or without tomato.

Meat and Mozzarella. Brown some ground meat in a little olive oil, then let it cool completely. Mix it with diced mozzarella, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and a little beaten egg to help bind the filling.

Turnip Greens and Mozzarella. Cook the turnip greens, then sauté them with garlic, olive oil, and chili pepper. Let them cool and drain them very well before mixing with diced mozzarella.

Onion, Anchovy and Olive. Slowly cook sliced onion with anchovies in a little olive oil. Once cool, add mozzarella and chopped pitted olives.

Ricotta Filling. Mix well-drained ricotta with a little grated Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, salt, and black pepper. Make sure the ricotta is not too wet before filling the Panzerotti.

Whatever filling you choose, always let cooked ingredients cool completely and remove as much excess moisture as possible before assembling the Panzerotti.

Fried or Baked Panzerotti

Fried Panzerotti are the traditional version and have the characteristic puffed, crisp exterior and soft interior.

Use plenty of frying oil in a deep pot so the Panzerotti have enough room to float freely while cooking.

For a lighter alternative, you can also make baked Panzerotti. Prepare and fill them in exactly the same way, then arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the surface lightly with extra virgin olive oil or a little tomato passata and bake at 200°C (390°F) for about 15–20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

Baked Panzerotti will have a different texture from the traditional fried version: more similar to small calzones, but still delicious.

Storage

Panzerotti are best enjoyed immediately after frying, while the outside is still crisp and the tomato and mozzarella filling is hot and melted.

If you have leftovers, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To reheat, place them in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about 8–10 minutes, or until hot throughout. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it tends to make the dough soft rather than crisp.

Can You Freeze Panzerotti?

Yes. For the best results, freeze the cooked and completely cooled Panzerotti in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Thaw them in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven until hot and crisp again.

Panzerotti vs Calzone: What's the Difference?

Calzones and Panzerotti may look similar because both are made by folding dough around a savory filling, but traditionally they are not quite the same.

Panzerotti are generally smaller and traditionally fried. The classic Puglian version is shaped like a half-moon and filled with tomato and mozzarella. Once fried, the dough becomes puffed and golden, with a crisp exterior and a soft center.

A calzone is usually larger and baked in the oven, more like a folded pizza. The dough and fillings can be very similar to those used for Panzerotti, but the cooking method gives it a different texture.

However, Italian regional terminology is not always strict. In some parts of Puglia, a baked turnover may still be called a panzerotto, while in Salento the word calzone is commonly used for similar preparations.

So the easiest distinction is this: traditional Puglian Panzerotti are small and fried, while a calzone is generally larger and oven-baked—but local names and traditions can vary.

Origins of Panzerotti

The exact origins of Panzerotti are difficult to document, but they are strongly associated with Puglia, particularly with Bari and its surrounding area.

According to local tradition, Panzerotti developed from the resourceful cooking of poorer families, who used leftover bread dough instead of letting it go to waste. Small pieces of dough were filled with simple ingredients, folded into a half-moon shape, and fried until golden.

Panzerotti are often said to date back to around the 16th or 17th century, although it is difficult to establish an exact date. Tomatoes had only recently arrived in Europe during the 16th century and gradually became part of Southern Italian cooking in the centuries that followed.

Over time, tomato and mozzarella became the classic filling we associate with Puglian Panzerotti today, while countless local variations developed with cheeses, vegetables, cured meats, and other ingredients.

What began as a simple example of cucina povera eventually became one of Puglia's most iconic street foods. Today, freshly fried Panzerotti can be found in bakeries, pizzerias, and panzerotterie throughout the region, especially in Bari, where eating them piping hot is part of the local food tradition.

More Traditional Puglian Recipes to Try

If you enjoyed making Panzerotti, try some of these other traditional recipes from Puglia:

• Focaccia Pugliese – A soft and airy Puglian focaccia topped with cherry tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and herbs. Like Panzerotti, it is one of the region's most iconic dough-based specialties.
• Stuffed Focaccia Pugliese – A rustic stuffed focaccia filled with tomatoes, onions, and olives, with a soft dough made partly with durum wheat semolina.
• Homemade Orecchiette – Learn how to make Puglia's famous handmade pasta using the traditional semolina-and-water dough.
• Bombette Pugliesi – Small pork rolls filled with cheese and pancetta, another beloved example of Puglian street food.
• Taralli Pugliesi – Crunchy savory rings made with flour, white wine, and olive oil, perfect as a traditional Puglian snack or appetizer.

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