Panzerotti Baresi
Crispy, golden deep-fried dough crescents packed with molten mozzarella and rich tomato sauce, Bari's iconic hot street food staple.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Rolling pin
- •Deep heavy-bottomed frying pan
- •Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
- •Kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 17 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the olive oil in a large bowl.
- 2
Add both flours and the salt, stirring until a shaggy dough comes together.
- 3
Knead on a lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 4
Divide the dough into eight equal portions and shape them into smooth balls.
- 5
Arrange the dough balls on a tray, cover, and prove for ninety minutes until doubled.
- 6
Mix the drained mozzarella, tomato passata, grated cheese, and black pepper in a bowl.
- 7
Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface into a flat round disc.
- 8
Spoon two tablespoons of the filling onto one half of the dough disc.
- 9
Fold the dough over to form a crescent, pressing the edges firmly to seal.
- 10
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 175 degrees C.
- 11
Fry the panzerotti two at a time for three to four minutes until blistered and golden.
- 12
Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Drying the diced mozzarella thoroughly on kitchen paper is vital to prevent steam from tearing the dough during frying. Ensure no filling touches the dough edges, or the seal may fail in the hot oil.
Ingredient substitutions
- semola rimacinata → an equal weight of 00 flour
- fior di latte → low-moisture block mozzarella
Storage
Panzerotti are best enjoyed freshly fried, but leftover fried pastries can be chilled in an airtight container for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C for eight to ten minutes to crisp the crust; never microwave.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using wet, freshly sliced mozzarella without draining it, causing the panzerotti to burst in hot oil.
- •Overfilling the dough circles, which prevents an airtight crimp and allows hot cheese to leak out.
- •Frying at too low a temperature, which results in soggy, oil-logged pastry.
Serving suggestions
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