Name: Panzerotti pugliesi
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Cuisine: Italian, Puglia
Ingredients: 500 g plain or pizza flour; 290 ml water, lukewarm; 7 g instant dry yeast; 10 g fine sea salt; 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 250 g passata or crushed peeled tomatoes, cooked down briefly and cooled; 300 g fior di latte mozzarella, diced and very well drained; 25 g Pecorino or Parmigiano, grated; 8 g fresh basil, torn; 2 g dried oregano; 3 g fine salt, for tomato, as needed; 1.5 L peanut or sunflower oil, for deep frying

Panzerotti pugliesi: wide hero view of the finished traditional dish

Prep35 minutes

Cook20 minutes

Total2 h 55 min

Yield10 panzerotti

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The dish

About Panzerotti pugliesi

La Cucina Italiana describes panzerotti as a Puglian street-food classic, traditionally fried and most classically filled with tomato and mozzarella.

The filling must be relatively dry, especially the mozzarella, because free water creates steam that can rupture the dough in hot oil.

The dough needs a full rise before portioning; well-fermented dough puffs and stays tender rather than turning dense.

Frying a few at a time keeps the oil near 175°C and produces a crisp shell without excessive oil absorption.

Technique

Three things that matter

Drain mozzarella thoroughly. Wet cheese is the most common cause of leaks.
Seal twice. Press air out, pinch firmly and reinforce with fork tines.
Hold frying temperature. Crowding drops the oil temperature and makes the dough greasy.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Dough

500 gplain or pizza flour
290 mlwaterlukewarm
7 ginstant dry yeast
10 gfine sea salt
15 mlextra-virgin olive oil

Classic filling

250 gpassata or crushed peeled tomatoescooked down briefly and cooled
300 gfior di latte mozzarelladiced and very well drained
25 gPecorino or Parmigianograted
8 gfresh basiltorn
2 gdried oregano
3 gfine saltfor tomato, as needed

Frying

1.5 Lpeanut or sunflower oilfor deep frying

Step by step

Method

Proof the dough and dry the filling

Knead the dough. Mix flour, yeast and water, then add salt and olive oil and knead until smooth.
Dough should be elastic and slightly tacky.
Let it rise. Cover and proof about 90 minutes until nearly doubled.
The dough should feel light and aerated.
Prepare a dry filling. Cook tomato briefly until thick, cool completely and combine only at assembly with very well-drained mozzarella.
Neither tomato nor cheese should release visible liquid.

Shape and seal

Divide the dough. Cut into ten equal 80 g pieces, form balls and rest 20–30 minutes.
Balls should relax and roll easily.
Fill the rounds. Roll each into a 14–16 cm disc and place a modest amount of tomato, mozzarella, grated cheese and basil on one half.
Leave a clean 2 cm border and avoid overfilling.
Seal firmly. Fold into half-moons, expel excess air, pinch the rim and reinforce with fork tines.
No sauce should touch the sealing edge.

Fry and drain

Heat the oil. Bring a deep pot of oil to 175°C.
Temperature should be stable before the first batch.
Fry in small batches. Lower in 2–3 panzerotti and fry 2–3 minutes total, turning until evenly golden and puffed.
The crust should blister and colour without dark spots.
Drain and rest briefly. Lift to a rack or paper for 2–3 minutes before eating.
Steam should escape slightly while the interior remains hot and molten.

Practical guidance

Serving

Panzerotti are best eaten shortly after frying once the filling is no longer dangerously hot.

Alternative fillings

Puglian panzerotti have many fillings, but tomato and mozzarella is the benchmark classic.

Assembly

Once filled, fry promptly; long holding lets moisture weaken the dough.

Troubleshooting

Panzerotti burst. Filling was too wet, the seam was dirty or too much air remained inside.
Crust is greasy. Oil was too cool or too many pieces were fried together.
Outside darkens before puffing. Oil is too hot; return it to about 175°C.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 panzerotto
Calories: approximately 330 kcal
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 15 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: 610 mg

Approximate; oil absorption varies with frying temperature.

Allergens and food safety

Use a stable deep pot and never fill it more than halfway with oil.

Keep wet utensils and water away from hot frying oil.

The cheese filling can cause steam burns; rest panzerotti briefly before biting.

FAQ

Are panzerotti fried or baked?

Traditional Puglian panzerotti are fried, though baked versions also exist.

What is the classic filling?

Tomato and mozzarella is the standard reference filling.

Why does mozzarella need draining?

Free whey creates steam and can open the seam during frying.

Final note

What matters most

Result: Puffed golden half-moons with a crisp-tender shell and molten tomato-mozzarella centre.
Key: Keep the filling dry, seal tightly and fry at a steady 175°C.