panzarotti pugliese (italian fried pizzas)
This recipe is a staple in our region of Italy. The Puglia region. My family lives in Bari which is a southern coastal city off the Adriatic. Sometimes this was a whole family event, everyone stuffing their own pockets. We would have these many times a year but definitely on New Years Eve. But honestly we get cravings and we have to make these and can't wait until the holiday. They are so good, filled with your favorite pizza toppings, I have even made Manwich ones with shredded cheddar and sweet ones with pie fillings (and yes I've done Nutella and bananas)(if my mom knew I did that with the pie fillings she'd probably hit me with a dish towel). You can get really creative, but the original panzerotti feature, sauce and cheese and then whatever else you like, our family would do capers, pepperoni, ground meat sauce with cheese, cooked sausage, and my dad of course with his anchovies and ham. The stuffing possibilities are endless! You can make your own pizza dough or buy it and make as many as you want! Also making them small would make great appetizers. This is one of my favorite foods!
Ingredients For panzarotti pugliese (italian fried pizzas)
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1 lbof fresh pizza dough or frozen and thawed
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pasta sauce (your own or store bought)
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mozzarella cheese
- SAVORY FILLINGS
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pepperoni
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cooked sausage
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ground beef, cooked and drained of fat
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capers
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prepared sloppy joe and shredded cheddar
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shredded cheddar
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ricotta cheese
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veggies, mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions, banana peppers
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cooked chicken
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ham & shredded swiss cheese
How To Make panzarotti pugliese (italian fried pizzas)
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1This is basically a pizza that has been folded over and fried, well kind of... It's way better! -
2Take a piece of dough the size of a tennis ball and flatten it with a rolling pin into a flat and round shape on lightly floured surface. The thickness of the dough should be no more than 1/4 of an inch.
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3Place your favorite fillings at the center of the dough, do not over stuff. We usually start with a tablespoon of sauce with mozzarella cheese, then add what we want additionally (meats and vegetables).
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4Fold the dough over the filling and close it in the shape of 1/2 moon.
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5Press down the outer edges of the dough to completely seal the panzerotti. Make sure to seal well or the will open in frying process. Prepare all of them before starting frying process.
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6Fry in hot olive oil till they are golden brown (you'll have to flip sides while frying, I would use salad tongs to do this, drain on paper towels and serve when you have fried them all. Be careful not to burn your mouth, you will grown impatient and want to eat one right away!! Buon Appetito!
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
