Easy Homemade Panzerotti (Grandma’s Italian Panzerotti Recipe) (2024)

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Easy Panzerotti (or Panzarotti) is an Italian savory turnover like a mini pizza pocket and it’s super easy to make at home! A pizza dough crust is filled with all the classic toppings – pepperoni, cheese, and your choice of sauce. These semi-circular pockets are then baked or deep-fried to golden perfection. If this sounds like something you might like, check out this authentic recipe.

Easy Homemade Panzerotti (Grandma’s Italian Panzerotti Recipe) (1)

You can easily customize your own by adding your favoritetoppings and fillings. They’re a great portable meal, and reheat very well forsnacks or meal prep!

Nowadays, there are so many ways to get your pizza fix. Other than calling up your fave delivery spot, you can make Pizza Cone and Pizza Rolls at home. But have you ever wondered what other ways they enjoy pizza in Italy?

What is Panzerotti?

Panzerotti comes from the Puglia region of Italy, and is a fried sandwich-sized tart stuffed with cheese, tomato sauce and any of your favorite pizza fillings. You may recognize it as the inspiration behind the beloved frozen food Hot Pockets.

Also called Panzarotti, Panzerotti is sometimes called “pizza fritta” meaning “fried pizza”. It was initially a popular street food in Italy, but soon made its way into restaurants across the country. These handy little half-moons have everything you crave about pizza in a smaller, self-contained turnover. This recipe is a fun way to get the whole family involved in making a meal everyone will love.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Pizza Dough
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Tomatoes
  • Dried Oregano
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Small Pepperoni

How to Make Panzerotti

Step 1: Make the Dough

Easy Homemade Panzerotti (Grandma’s Italian Panzerotti Recipe) (3)
  • Whisk together yeast, sugar and warmwater in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
  • Mix together flour and salt. Add oil,yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until the doughjust begins to come together. Let thedough rise for about 30 minutes.

Step 2: Make Panzerotti

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  • In a medium mixing bowl, mix together tomatoes, cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  • When the dough is ready. Divide it into 6 portions and roll each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter.
  • Add about 2 tablespoons of filling and 3-4 pepperoni.
  • Brush the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough to create a semi circle.
  • Pinch the edges to seal the pocket. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.
  • Pour oil (about 1 inch) into a deep skillet and heat the oil to 350°.
  • Once hot, add a few panzerotti pockets to the skillet. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning every minute until both sides are golden brown.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove panzerotti and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
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Tips & Tricks for an Authentic Panzerotti Recipe

  • Don’t overstuff your Panzerotti. As tempting as it may be to get in all the toppings possible, too many fillings might cause your Panzerotti to burst when frying.
  • Pinch firmly. Make sure that everything is sealed inside tightly! Sometimes using a fork can help, and it also leaves a nice design along the edges.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan. If your Panzerottis are squished together during cooking, they won’t get a chance to cook evenly on all sides.
  • Rest cooked Panzerotti on a paper towel. You’ll want to absorb the grease before eating.

Difference Between Panzerotti and Calzone

The most obvious difference between a Panzerotti and Calzoneis the size, but they’re also cooked differently too. A Calzone is a pizzafolded in half, and it’s usually baked or fried. Often, it’s served withmarinara for dipping. A Panzerotti is a convenient handheld size and isdeep-fried.

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Difference Between Panzerotti and Pizza

A Panzerotti has all of the delicious ingredients of Pizza, in a smaller handheld tart. While Pizza slices are also handheld, the toppings can sometimes fall off, or the slice can be too big to hold with one hand.

Are Panzerotti Bites Baked or Fried?

Panzerottis are traditionally fried. There are certainlybaked recipes to give you the same Panzerotti feel with much less oil, butthey’re never going to taste quite asgood as the classic fried version.

Leftovers

Let the panzerotti cool down to room temperature and then put them in an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator and they’ll last up to 3 days.

To freeze panzerotti, you can place them in a freezer-friendly bag labeled with the date. It’ll last for 1 month.

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Best Panzerotti Recipe

Easy Panzerotti (or Panzarotti) is an Italian savory turnover like a mini pizza pocket and it’s super easy to make at home! A pizza dough crust is filled with all the classic toppings – pepperoni, cheese, and your choice of sauce. These semi-circular pockets are then baked or deep-fried to golden perfection. If this sounds like something you might like (how can it not?), check out this authentic recipe.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6 pieces

Author: Izzy

Calories: 233kcal

Ingredients

Pizza Dough:

  • 1/2 cup warm water (110-120°F)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 pack yeast
  • 1 ¼ cups bread flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more for frying)

For the Filling:

  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 3/4 cup crushed tomato
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 24 small pepperoni

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • Whisk together yeast, sugar and warm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

  • Mix together flour and salt. Add oil, yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough just begins to come together. Let the dough rise for about 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.

Make the Filling

  • While the dough is rising, you can make the panzerotti filling.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, mix together tomatoes, cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Make Panzerotti

  • After the dough is ready, divide it into 6 pieces.

  • Press down the ball with your palm. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter.

  • Add about 2 tablespoons of filling and 3-4 pepperoni to each piece.

  • Brush the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough to create a semi-circle.

  • Pinch the edges to seal the pocket. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.

  • Pour oil (about 1 inch) into a deep skillet and heat the oil to 350°.

  • Once hot, add a few panzerotti pockets to the skillet. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning every minute until both sides are golden brown. (Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.)

  • Use a slotted spoon to remove panzerotti and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 452mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 133IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg

Author: Izzy

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Panzerotti

Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking

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About Izzy

I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jo-Anne Lemaire says

    Hi, Izzy. I’ve just found your panzerotti recipe and have a question for you. You say in the description that this can be fried or baked, but only instructions for frying are given. Please tell me whether oven temperature, baking time, etc is the same as for frying when doing the panzerotti in the oven. Thank you very much for your time and any assistance you can pass along. Have a great day.
    Jo-Anne

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Homemade Panzerotti (Grandma’s Italian Panzerotti Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is panzerotti dough made of? ›

Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix together the two flours. Dissolve the yeast in some of the warm water, followed by the sugar. Dissolve the salt in the rest of the warm water. Add the yeast and sugar mixture to the flour, and slowly add the salt water whilst using your hands to bring the dough together.

What is the difference between a calzone and a panzerotti? ›

Panzerotti are usually smaller and can be fried or baked. Calzones are usually larger than a panzerotti, and they can also be fried or baked. Fillings can be varied. Calzones usually are ricotta-based; panzerotti fillings are usually tomato, mozzarella or Pugliese cheese, and basil.

What does panzerotti mean in Italian? ›

Panzerotto (the plural is panzerotti) is the Neapolitan term for a savory dough pouch that is filled and fried, traditionally in lard (though now in oil).

Are panzerotti baked or fried? ›

Panzerotti can be baked or fried, but they're usually fried. (And, when given the choice, why wouldn't you go for the fried one?)

Is pizza dough the same as calzone dough? ›

Both are prepared with flour, water, salt, and yeast; that's the solution. In contrast, the eggs and olive oil used in most calzone dough give it a deeper flavor and a softer texture. Eggs and oil are not common ingredients in pizza dough, contributing to its crispiness and durability.

What is the original panzerotti? ›

Panzerotti originated in southern Italy and central Italy, especially in the Apulian cuisine. They are basically small versions of calzoni, but are usually fried rather than oven-baked, which is why they are also known as calzoni fritti ( lit. 'fried calzones') or pizze fritte ( lit.

What is a Sicilian calzone called? ›

The Sicilian Pythons, also called in Italian "Pitoni" or "Pidoni" are a typical calzone made without yeast. This is a very old school recipe, and a very famous street food of the northeast coast of Sicily.

What is similar to a panzerotti? ›

Like the Panzerotti, Calzones were originally intended to work as an all-in-one meal. They could be easily taken on-the-go. However, today most Calzone varieties are much larger. Unlike a Panzerotti, they come with marinara sauce on the side used for dipping.

What is the Italian version of empanada? ›

The panzerotto is to be found throughout southern Italy. In Naples it goes under the name of pizza fritta and in Salento calzone but his majesty the panzerotto reigns in Bari and the surrounding area. This is the version we shall be comparing with the Argentine empanada.

What's the difference between a stromboli and a panzerotti? ›

Calzone, stromboli, and panzerotti are pizza derivatives. Calzone and panzerotti are half-moon pizza turnovers, while stromboli is a long, rolled pizza. They all include traditional pizza ingredients like dough, tomato sauce, and cheese but differ in origin, cooking methods, shape, and size.

Do panzerottis have sauce inside? ›

Also, a panzerotti has the sauce inside, whereas for a calzone, it's traditional to serve the sauce on the side. Depending on your existing setup and equipment, you decide which one suits your menu best. As for ingredients, you've already got everything in stock: dough, sauce, cheese and toppings.

Do Italians fold their pizza when they eat it? ›

In Italy, unless sold on the street or “al taglio” (sold in rectangular or square slices by weight), it's always round and served on a plate. 2. You cut the pizza yourself and then eat it with a knife and fork, the most common way, or fold each slice and eat it with your hands.

Do you flip calzones when cooking? ›

Set air fryer to 370°F and bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Baking times vary by air fryer. Calzone is done when it's golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Tip: To achieve a crisper bottom crust, use tongs or a spatula to flip the calzone over for the final 2 to 3 minutes of baking.

What is fried pizza called in Italian? ›

Deep-fried pizza (Italian: pizza fritta) is a dish consisting of a pizza that, instead of being baked in an oven, is deep-fried, resulting in a different flavour and nutritional profile.

What is pinsa dough? ›

But what is pinsa? Simply put, pinsa is a Roman-style pizza crust that is an upgrade from traditional pizza. With Pinsa Romana America's innovative par-baked crusts, pinsa is the healthiest, most delicious meal that will deliver a taste of Rome from shelf to table within minutes!

What is MOD pizza dough made of? ›

Mega Dough is our classic 11″ pizza but with double the dough. Mega Dough uses our classic dough recipe with simple ingredients that you know and love: King Arthur Flour, sea salt, water, yeast — simple food for complex times.

What is calzone bread made of? ›

Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 to 2 cups all purpose flour.
  • 1 (2-1/4 tsp.) envelope Fleischmann's® Pizza Crust Yeast.
  • 1 teaspoon sugar.
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt.
  • 2/3 cup very warm water (120° to 130°F)*
  • 1 tablespoon oil.
  • Your choice of fillings.

References

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