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    Home » Recipes » Snacks

    Panzerotti (Panzarotti)

    Published: May 18, 2023 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    A traditional snack from South and Central Italy, panzerotti are savory turnovers filled with three kinds of cheese and salami bits! Crunchy on the outside and deliciously packed with cheese on the inside — one piece will never be enough!

    An overhead shot of fried panzerotti in a basket, served for snack.

    Like panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritters) and rustico Leccese, these panzerotti fritti can also be considered South Italian street food.

    Best eaten hot — you have to be careful, or you’ll end up burning your tongue (and it’s so worth it!) 🙂

    So, what is panzerotti?

    Sometimes called ‘panzarotti,’ they are Italian savory turnovers stuffed with at least one type of cheese and something else — tomatoes, salami, etc.

    Panzerotti are traditionally fried, so you must ensure the filling is not wet and end up with a soggy pastry.

    Oh! Lastly, panzerotti is its plural form, and panzerotto refers to just a piece (singular). 🙂

    IF YOU WANT MORE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

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    Ingredients

    All the ingredients you need to make traditiona Southern Italian panzerotti at home.
    • Flour – you need all-purpose flour to make panzerotti dough from scratch.
    • Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible.
    • Salt – just use your favorite brand.
    • Salami – I generally use salami Napolitano.
    • Mix of Italian cheeses – ricotta, provolone and parmigiano Reggiano.
    • Egg – medium-sized (63 to 73 grams) and beaten.
    • Frying oil – I typically use canola or sunflower oil for cooking these fried panzerotti.
    Panzeerotti served with some greens, perfect as appetizers.

    Preparation

    Start by making your panzerotti dough from scratch.

    Combine the flour, pinch of salt, olive oil, and half a cup of water in a mixing bowl.

    All the ingredients in a bowl, for making panzerotti dough from scratch.

    Mix with a fork until a dough starts to form, then use your hands to knead it until you get a smooth dough manually.

    Place the panzerotti dough in an oiled bowl.

    Smooth panzerotti dough from scratch, now ready for resting.

    Cover with a kitchen cloth and set aside for thirty minutes.

    While proofing your panzerotti dough, start preparing the panzerotti filling by chopping (and grating) the various types of Italian cheese and the salami.

    Using a medium-sized bowl, combine the provolone, ricotta, parmigiano Reggiano and chopped salami.

    All the panzerotti filling ingredients mixed evenly, before forming the panzerotto.

    Taste and add salt if needed.

    Add the beaten egg and mix to combine the filling evenly.

    Roll out the dough — big enough to cut ten portions of a circle with a 4 to 4 & 1/2-inch diameter.

    A panzerotto dough set and waiting for the filling.

    Place about two tablespoons of the panzerotti filling slightly off-center of the dough.

    Panzerotti filling placed in a round dough, to be closed to form the turnover.

    Fold the dough and seal the edges by pressing them together or using a fork to press along the edges.

    A traditional panzerotto filled, closed and ready for frying.

    Arrange all the formed panzerotti in a tray.

    Panzerotti placed on a tray, all set for frying.

    Pour the vegetable oil into a pan or skillet deep enough to cover the top of each panzerotto.

    Set it to medium-high heat, and once the oil is ready, add the panzerotti carefully to fry.

    When each panzerotto is golden on both sides, transfer it to a kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.

    Serve and enjoy your panzerotti fritti!

    A closer look at a basket of panzerotti, with wine and olive oil in the background.

    Helpful tips

    • You don’t need a food processor or stand mixer to make panzerotti dough from scratch — you only need a fork to mix it until you can start kneading with your hands.
    • To remove as much liquid as possible from the ricotta, start draining at least an hour before working on the dough.
    • Remember not to add the egg immediately with the rest of the ingredients for filling. You need to taste it first and add salt to season if you think it’s needed.
    A closer look at the panzerotto filling, highlighting the different cheeses' texture.

    Recipe variation

    • Bake. Instead of fried panzerotti, cook it in the oven like a regular pastry (panzerotti al forno).
    • Prosciutto Cotto. You can also use cooked prosciutto instead of salami — as usual, chopped into small bits.

    So how about it? Try serving these panzerotti this weekend, and let me know!

    OR YOU CAN GET MORE IDEAS IN THIS LIST OF SNACKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

    IF YOU WANT MORE EUROPEAN DISHES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE INTERNATIONAL RECIPES BY COUNTRY!

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    📖 Recipe

    Fried panzerotti served with a glass of wine, for snack.

    Panzerotti Recipe (Panzarotto)

    A traditional snack from South and Central Italy, panzerotti are savory turnovers filled with three kinds of cheese and salami bits! Crunchy on the outside and deliciously packed with cheese on the inside — one piece will never be enough!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 242kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Digital weighing scale
    • Chopping Board
    • Kitchen Knife
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Box grater
    • Dough Cutter

    Ingredients

    • 250 grams flour (about 1 & 2/3 cups)
    • 50 ml olive oil (5 tablespoons)
    • 150 grams ricotta (about 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons), drained
    • 50 grams provolone (about 1/3 cup), diced
    • 50 grams Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1 cup), grated
    • 100 grams salami (about 3/4 cup), chopped into small bits
    • 1 egg, beaten
    • vegetable oil, for frying
    • salt, to season

    Instructions

    Make panzerotti dough from scratch:

    • Combine the flour, pinch of salt, olive oil, and 1/2 cup of water in a mixing bowl.
    • Mix with a fork until a dough starts to form, then use your hands to knead it until you get a smooth dough manually.
    • Place the dough in an oiled bowl.
    • Cover with a kitchen cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.

    Prepare the panzerotti filling:

    • Chop (and grate) the different types of Italian cheese and salami.
    • Combine the provolone, ricotta, parmigiano Reggiano and chopped salami in a mixing bowl.
    • Taste and add salt if needed.
    • Add the beaten egg and mix everything evenly.

    Form and fry panzerotti:

    • Roll out the dough — big enough to cut 10 portions of a circle with a 4 to 4 & 1/2-inch diameter.
    • Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling slightly off-center of the dough.
    • Fold the dough and seal the edges by pressing them together or using a fork to press along the edges.
    • Place all the formed panzerotti in a tray.
    • Pour the vegetable oil into a pan or skillet deep enough to cover the top of each panzerotto.
    • Set it to medium-high heat, and once the oil is ready, add the panzerotti carefully to fry.
    • When each panzerotto is golden on both sides, transfer it to kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip:  No need to use a food processor or stand mixer to make panzerotti dough from scratch — you only need a fork to mix it until you can start kneading with your hands.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

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