Here’s what Cosimo, our head chef at Coccaro Beach Club, suggests for a casual winter feast at your place: Panzerotti, come kind of fried calzone, puglia style, is his favorite dish whenever he has friends over. The more the better, he says – so the party can start while preparing the food. Each one of your guests can choose his own filling, give advice or even a helping hand. To go with your panzerotti we are suggesting a cool beer or a glass of red wine. Enjoy!
Traditional “Panzerotti” Fried with Mozzarella and Tomatoes
For the pastry: For the filling:
500 g flour 350 g mozzarella
15 g yeast 100 g peeled tomatoes
50 g olive oil
15 g salt
250 g water
oil for frying
Spread the flour on a board over a work surface, crumble the yeast, add a little warm water, add the oil and the salt and begin to make the dough by adding enough warm water to create medium consistency. For the filling: Chop the mozzarella into small pieces, add the tomatoes chopped up into tiny pieces, cheese and a pinch of salt. Cut the dough into circles, roll it out with the rolling pin to obtain a thin layer which is a fraction of an inch thick. Put a spoonful of the filling in the middle and a blob of hot ricotta cheese on top. Close it in half moon shape and seal it well. Fry it in hot boiling oil until golden brown.