Authentic Panzerotti Recipe (Traditional Italian Fried Pizza Pockets)

Name: Authentic Panzerotti Recipe (Traditional Italian Fried Pizza Pockets)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 220 min
Ingredients: 250 g "00" flour (- 2 cups); 250 g semolina flour (- 2 cups); 300 g water (- 1 ¼ cups, at room temperature); 20 g extra virgin olive oil (- 1 ½ tablespoons); 10 g fine salt (- 1 ¾ teaspoons); 7 g active dry yeast (- 2 ¼ teaspoons); 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; 300 g tomato passata (- 1 ¼ cups); 60 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano (- ½ cup); 350 g Mozzarella for pizza (- 12 oz, low-moisture); finesalt (- to taste); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 2 liter vegetable oil such as peanut oil or sunflower oil (- about 8-9 cups, for frying)

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Panzerotti Pugliesi are a classic from Apulia (Puglia), loved across Southern Italy: small, golden fried pizza pockets with a light, leavened dough and a melty filling.

The dough is similar to pizza dough, which is why panzerotti puff beautifully in hot oil, turning crisp outside and tender within. The most traditional filling is tomato and mozzarella, but you will also find regional variations with cured meats, ricotta, or seasonal vegetables.

Panzerotti are ideal for a relaxed dinner with friends, game day, or a party spread, and a few pieces can easily count as a complete meal.

Born as a humble way to use leftover bread dough, they have become one of Italy’s most tempting street foods.

In this recipe, I show you how to make authentic homemade panzerotti with clear, step-by-step instructions.

Respect the dough’s proofing time, seal the edges well, and fry at the right temperature for a crisp, golden crust and a gooey, irresistible center.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Storage
Variations
More Italian Recipes You’ll Love
Origins
FAQ
Recipe Card

Ingredients

Prep Time: 30 min | Rising Time: about 3 Hours | Cook Time: 10 min | Servings: 4-6 people (about 8 Panzerotti)

THE DOUGH

250 g (2 cups) "00" flour
250 g (2 cups) semolina flour
300 g (1 ¼ cups) water, at room temperature
20 g (1 ½ tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
10 g (1 ¾ teaspoons) fine salt
7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast.
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

THE FILLING

300 g (1 ¼ cups) tomato passata. Make your own with our tomato passata recipe.
60 g (½ cup) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
350 g (12 oz) Mozzarella for Pizza, (low-moisture)
Fine salt, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

FOR FRYING

2 liter (about 8-9 cups) vegetable oil for frying such as peanut oil or sunflower oil

Instructions

Make the Dough

Step 1) - In a large bowl, combine the “00” flour, semolina flour, yeast, and sugar. Mix well.

Step 2) - In another bowl, pour the water, add the salt and olive oil, and stir until the salt dissolves. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing continuously.

NOTE: The exact amount of water may vary depending on the flour. The dough should be firm but soft, not sticky.

Step 3) - Knead the dough by hand until it comes together into a smooth, elastic ball.

Step 4) - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Then, place it in a floured bowl.

Step 5) - Score a cross on top, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for about 2 hours in a switched-off oven.

Make the Filling

Step 6) - Dice the mozzarella. If using fresh mozzarella, drain it well and let it sit in a sieve for 30 minutes to release excess liquid.

In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, tomato passata, Parmigiano Reggiano, a pinch of salt, and EVO oil. Mix and set aside.

Make the Panzerotti

Step 7) - Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a floured surface. Shape it into a loaf and cut it into 8–10 pieces, each weighing about 80 g (2.8 oz).

Step 8) - Shape the dough into smooth balls, place them on a tray, cover with a dish towel, and let them rise for one more hour at room temperature.

Step 9) - At the end of this second rising, roll out the balls of dough with a rolling pin. Shape them into disks that are not too thin.

Step 10) - Place 2 tablespoons of filling on one half, leaving a 1-inch (3 cm) border. Lightly moisten the edge with water.

To seal the panzerotti well, moisten the edges with a little water.

Step 11) - Fold over to form a crescent and seal the edges firmly with your fingers, then press with a fork to prevent leaks.

Fry the Panzerotti

Step 12) - Heat the oil in a high-sided pot. Fry no more than 2 panzerotti at a time. Check the oil with a toothpick (bubbles form around it) or a thermometer: temperature should be 175°C (350°F).

Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes, turning them often with a wooden spoon or skimmer.

Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Storage

As always with fried foods, I recommend that you eat the panzerotti immediately, freshly fried and still hot, with the filling still stringy.

If you want, you can freeze the panzerotti raw, already stuffed, and then fry them while still frozen.

Variations

Stuffing

There are many popular fillings related to the Apulian tradition. I will give you a hint of the most common ones.

HERBS: I have suggested the most classic and always delicious filling: mozzarella and tomato. If you like, you can add a fresh basil leaf or a pinch of dried oregano to your mozzarella and tomato panzerotti.
HAM PANZEROTTI: In the Taranto area, for example, panzerotto with mozzarella and ham is very common. With or without tomato.
PANZEROTTI WITH MEAT AND MOZZARELLA: Brown some minced meat in a pan with a little oil. Let it cool. Then add diced mozzarella, a beaten egg, grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a little salt.
PANZEROTTI WITH TURNIP TOPS: Cook the turnip tops and brown them in a pan with garlic and chili. Let them cool. Add the diced mozzarella. It's important to drain the water from the turnip greens well.
ONION PANZEROTTI: In a frying pan, fry one sliced onion and two anchovies in a little oil. Let it cool down. Then add the diced mozzarella and some stoned olives.
PANZEROTTI WITH RICOTTA: In a bowl, put the drained ricotta, an egg, a little salt and pepper and two tablespoons of grated Parmigiano.

Cooking Method

Frying in oil, preferably peanut oil, remains the best and most traditional cooking method.

Remember to use a not too large pot and plenty of oil: the panzerotti should float in the oil while frying.

BAKED PANZEROTTI: If you prefer a lighter dish, you can bake the panzerotti. The recipe is the same. Once you have sealed the edges of the panzerotti well, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for about 15 minutes. I recommend brushing the panzerotti with egg yolk or olive oil or a little tomato passata before baking.

More Italian Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoyed making panzerotti, here are a few more authentic Italian recipes to try at home. From quick dough ideas to traditional dishes from Southern Italy, these will bring even more Italian flavor to your table.

Quick Pizza Dough Recipe - A fast and reliable pizza dough that’s soft, chewy, and perfect for weeknight homemade pizza.
How to Make Homemade Orecchiette - Learn the traditional Apulian method for shaping orecchiette pasta by hand, just like in Puglia.
Bombette Pugliesi - Juicy pork rolls stuffed with cheese and herbs, a beloved street food from Apulia.
Gnocco Fritto - Golden pillows of fried dough, light and airy, traditionally served with cured meats and cheese.
Parmigiano Balls - Crispy outside and soft inside, these cheese bites are a simple and irresistible appetizer.

Origins

Official tradition places the birth of panzerotti in Bari in the 16th century, at a time when the tomato was just beginning to appear on Italian tables and in Italian recipes.

Legend has it that it was invented by chance by a housewife who wanted to make a crescent-shaped pasta filled with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

It's believed that panzerotti, like many other traditional Italian dishes, were born in a humble context where nothing could be wasted.

Thus, the ingenuity of some ancestors gave birth to a new recipe, the goodness of which later made it immortal.

Today Panzerotti fritti are known in Italy and abroad as a typical Puglian fry.

They are one of the most popular street foods. So much so that July 15th is celebrated as National Panzerotto Day.

FAQ

What is the difference between Panzerotti and Calzone?

Panzerotti and calzone are both original and typical preparations of the southern Italian regions (Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, but also widespread in Lazio).
Both originate from the cucina povera. With the leftover bread or pizza dough, people made a sort of hot-pocket stuffed with mozzarella and tomatoes or other ingredients.
The recipe for calzone and panzerotti is similar, but there is a significant difference between panzerotti and calzone in the way they are cooked.
If the stuffed turnover are fried, they are called panzerotti, but if they are baked, like pizza, they are called calzone.
Panzerotti are generally smaller than calzone, but this depends on the area and its customs.

What is the Best Flour for Panzerotti?

In my recipe I use a mixture, in equal parts, of "00" flour and semolina flour.
But you can use only semolina. In fact, panzerotti made - in whole or in part - with semolina flour absorb less oil in frying than those made with "00" flour alone. They therefore turn out crispier, lighter and tastier.
Some people, however, use only "00" flour. So if you cannot find the semolina flour, you can use just 500 g (1.1 pound) of "00" flour.

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STEP BY STEP PHOTOS ABOVE!Have a look at my step-by-step photo instructions, variations and tips. That way, you can get it perfect the first time you try it!