The Neapolitan angioletti, the pizza montanara, or the fried pizza with eggplant are the classic appetizer I often make when we feel like something tasty at home. You just need a little pizza dough, some tomato sauce and you’re set.
Although I physically live in a municipality of the Rome metropolitan area and no longer live in Portici, a town at the foot of Vesuvius, I love recipes from the Neapolitan tradition and at least once a week we eat pizza at home.
When time is really short, I double the amount of yeast (a little trick that has never done anyone harm), and that halves the rising time.
And then there are those evenings when I’ve worked all day and my son looks at me with those eyes and asks: “Mom, do you want to make pizza for dinner?”. To make him happy, I confess, sometimes I buy ready-made dough and make pizza or fried diavoletti. I’m sure it happens to you too: when the craving for pizza is irresistible, there’s nothing wrong with accepting a little help! 😉
So what are you waiting for? Follow the aroma… the recipe continues!
If you like Neapolitan recipes, don’t miss:
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups type 0 flour
- 1 cup water
- 0.4 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 2/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- A few leaf basil (optional)
- to taste grated Parmigiano (or Grana Padano)
- 3 cups peanut oil (or sunflower seed oil)
Tools
- 1 Wheel cutter pizza cutter
Preparation
You can prepare the angioletti dough by hand, with a mixer or with the Thermomix using the knead (dough) function.
Start by sifting the type 0 flour and placing it in a bowl.
Add the crumbled fresh brewer’s yeast to the flour and mix to combine. Add the water a little at a time and mix. Then add the salt and finally the extra virgin olive oil. Knead until you obtain a smooth dough ball, making a few folds as well, which will give greater elasticity and softness to the dough.
Cover the dough and let it rise. When it has doubled in volume (it will take about 2-3 hours, depending on the temperature), turn the dough out onto a work surface dusted with semolina flour.
Stretch the dough with your hands being careful not to flatten it too much (this helps keep the angioletti soft and fluffy), and cut strips about 3 inches long using a pastry cutter or a wheel.
Pour the peanut (or sunflower) oil into a pan and heat it to about 347-356 °F. Fry a few angioletti at a time on both sides for about 4 minutes. When cooked, transfer them to absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
While the dough is rising, prepare the tomato sauce.
Sauté a clove of garlic over low heat with extra virgin olive oil until fragrant.
Add the tomato sauce, season with salt and simmer for at least 30 minutes.Arrange the angioletti on a serving plate, dress them with the prepared sauce and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano and, if you like, a few basil leaves.
Storage and variations
Fried Neapolitan angioletti are best eaten freshly made; if you have leftovers you can store them in a closed container at room temperature for one day. Before eating, reheat them for about one minute in the microwave or a couple of minutes in the air fryer.
You can also dress them with fresh cherry tomatoes and arugula, or by adding stracciatella to the tomato sauce.
If you prefer a sweet version, I recommend topping them with your favorite hazelnut cream or the classic Nutella, but also with pistachio cream or a chocolate glaze.
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