Soft, cheesy, and irresistible: baked panzerotti are the perfect savory snack for both kids and adults. Discover how to make them at home with a simple, light, and guaranteed-to-succeed recipe!
Homemade panzerotti are one of Italy’s most beloved dishes: they evoke the flavors of festivities, family Sundays, and dinners with friends. With this easy and light recipe, you can bake panzerotti with a soft dough, a cheesy filling, and a fragrance that will make everyone’s mouth water.
Perfect to enjoy hot, but delicious even the next day, panzerotti are a traditional recipe from southern Italy, now loved everywhere. Try them too, and you’ll see they disappear in no time!
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 17.6 oz all-purpose flour
- 1.25 cups water (warm)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 0.18 oz dry yeast (or 0.35 oz fresh)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 0.35 oz salt
- 10.6 oz tomato sauce
- 8.8 oz mozzarella
- to taste oregano
- to taste salt
- extra virgin olive oil (to brush on the panzerotti)
Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Pastry Board
- Rolling Pin
Steps
To start, you will need to dissolve the yeast in a bit of water, taking a small amount from the total 1.25 cups. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the yeast and stir to activate the fermentation. This is the secret to getting a light and fluffy dough.
Once the yeast is active, you can proceed to prepare the dough. In a stand mixer or bowl, mix the flour, add the activated yeast, a bit of oil, and gradually the rest of the water. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt to give flavor to the dough. Knead until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours. This will allow the dough to double in size and become soft and elastic.
After the rising time, take the dough and divide it into about 10 balls of 2.8/3.1 oz each. Place them on a previously floured baking tray and let them rise for another half an hour. This step is essential to ensure your panzerotti become light and well-puffed.
In the meantime, prepare the filling for your panzerotti. Let your creativity flow with ingredient combinations. I made some with mozzarella cut into thin strips, tomato sauce, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Others I filled just with mozzarella and cooked ham. The art of filling panzerotti is all yours, and you can customize the taste according to your preferences.
After the half-hour rising of the balls, take each one and gently roll them out with a rolling pin. Fill them as you like with the ingredients you’ve prepared, moisten the edges with a bit of water, and seal the panzerotto well with the help of a fork. This will ensure the filling stays in place during baking.
Before baking your panzerotti, generously brush them with extra virgin olive oil. This will give them that delicious crispness and unique flavor. Bake the panzerotti in a preheated oven at 356°F and cook until they are golden and crispy, usually about 20-25 minutes.
Once ready, take the panzerotti out of the oven and let them cool slightly before enjoying them. They are delicious both hot and at room temperature, so pick your favorite and enjoy this burst of flavor and crispness.
Enjoy your meal!
Tips and Variations
Fried version: if you want an even more indulgent result, you can fry the panzerotti in plenty of hot oil (338°F) until golden.
Filling: try varying with cooked ham and cheese, grilled vegetables, or smoked scamorza.
More rustic dough: replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat or type 1 flour for a deeper flavor.
Well-dried mozzarella: this is the secret to prevent liquids from leaking out during baking.
FAQ
Can they be fried?
Yes, these panzerotti can be fried in plenty of peanut oil. The correct temperature for frying is 338°F; if you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, do the toothpick test. Dip the wooden toothpick in the oil; when bubbles form around it, your oil is ready to fry!
The mozzarella doesn’t melt well, why?It’s important to use well-dried mozzarella, specifically for pizza, as it releases less whey. Alternatively, you can use a stringy cheese.
