Tomato and Mozzarella Panzerotti

Fried bread dough, golden and puffed, hiding a heart of molten stringy cheese. The scent of oregano is released as soon as you bite into the crispy crust.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 997
• Protein: 31 g
• Carbs: 71 g
• Fat: 66 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Bread dough ( room temperature )
• 250 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( small diced and drained )
• 2 piece Round tomato ( seeded and crushed )
• 100 g Ham ( chopped )
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• 190 ml Sunflower oil ( absorbed during frying (estimated) )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 100 g Tomato pulp ( well drained )

Instructions

1. Prepare the filling

   Cut the mozzarella into small cubes. Seed the round tomatoes and cut them into fine brunoise. Place everything in a colander for 15 minutes to remove excess water, which will prevent the dough from getting soggy.

2. Roll out the dough

   Divide the bread dough into 8 equal pieces. On a floured work surface, roll out each piece with a rolling pin to form disks about 15 cm in diameter. The dough should be thin but strong.

3. Fill and seal

   In a bowl, mix the drained tomatoes, mozzarella, chopped ham, and tomato pulp. Place a bit of this mixture in the center of each disk. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Fold the dough into a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly with your fingers, then mark with the tines of a fork to seal hermetically.

4. Fry

   Heat the sunflower oil to 180°C. Immerse the panzerotti two by two. They should puff up immediately. When the crust is golden brown and firm under the spatula, drain them on paper towels.

Chef's tips

• Sealing is key: if the panzerotto opens in the oil, the cheese will burn and the oil will be ruined.
• Do not overfill, otherwise the dough might tear during handling.

Storage

Eat immediately to maintain the crunch. Does not reheat well in the microwave as the dough softens.