When we go to Taranto, my husband’s hometown, we almost always end up eating panzerotti.
There’s a ritual to it.
A stop at a bar on the main street for aperitivo. Sitting alfresco while, one after another, small plates and bites begin arriving at the table: sweet fruit-based drinks, olives, almonds, chips, peanuts, taralli, mozzarelline, stuffed croissants, friselle, pizzette — and finally my favorite: hot panzerotti.
In Taranto, they often arrive hot enough to burn your fingertips. Which, honestly, feels like part of the experience.
What Are Panzerotti PUGLIESI?
Panzerotti Pugliesi are stuffed bread dough pockets, traditionally deep-fried and eaten as street food throughout Puglia.
The classic filling is tomato sauce and mozzarella, though in southern Italy the variations are endless. Lately, I even heard of a carbonara panzerotto, which feels both deeply wrong and somehow inevitable.
The traditional version, however, remains unbeatable.
Golden outside, soft inside, slightly greasy in the best possible way.
When Do We Eat Panzerotti in Italy?
Panzerotti are one of those foods that adapt to almost any moment of Italian life.
A quick lunch while walking through town.
A beach snack.
An improvised dinner.
An aperitivo with friends.
A late-night bite after too much wine and too much conversation.
And somehow, despite being fried dough filled with cheese, they never feel heavy in the way they should.
I got this authentic Panzerotti Pugliesi recipe from my Apulian mother-in-law.
And now I’m sharing it with you.
Panzerotti Pugliesi Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 17.5 oz 500g 00 flour
- 1 cube fresh baker's yeast 0.9 oz / 25g
- 3.5 oz milk, room temperature 100 ml
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 oz extra virgin olive oil 60g
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling & Frying
- 1 cup tomato passata puree
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 mozzarella diced
- 3.5 oz ham or prosciutto cotto – optional 100g
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
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Dissolve the yeast in the milk with the sugar. After about five minutes, look for bubbling, even just around the edges. If nothing happens, start again with fresh yeast.
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In a bowl or stand mixer, combine all the dough ingredients, including the yeast mixture. Knead until a soft dough forms, adding a few teaspoons of water only if needed.
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Continue kneading for about 10 minutes in the mixer or 20 minutes by hand. The dough should become smooth and elastic.
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Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours.
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Meanwhile, season the passata with salt and olive oil. Julienne the ham and dice the mozzarella.
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Once risen, divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape them into small balls.
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Roll each ball into a flat round about 0.25 inches / 0.5 cm thick. Use a cutter or mug if needed.
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Place a teaspoon of tomato sauce, 2–3 cubes of mozzarella, and about ½ teaspoon ham in the center.
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Lightly brush the dough edges with water, fold into a crescent shape, and seal firmly with your fingers.
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Heat the oil and fry each panzerotto for less than a minute per side, until lightly golden.
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Serve hot.
Preferably while talking too loudly at an outdoor table somewhere in southern Italy.
Enjoy your panzerotti!
Claudia