The fried calzones or panzerotti with re-milled semolina, are very tasty half-moons stuffed and prepared with a soft leavened dough with mixed flours, milk, and oil.
They are delicious eaten immediately hot but equally tasty even cold or reheated. As a snack, at aperitif time or for dinner, they are always a great idea appreciated by many!
For this dough, I used both all-purpose flour and re-milled semolina, which gives a bit more color to the panzerotto, making it soft inside with a slight golden crust on the outside.
There are different recipes for calzones or panzerotti, and they can be either fried or baked; I preferred frying.
I didn’t prepare the classic large calzone but preferred the smaller size of 50 g of raw dough with 70 g of the final product.
Also, for the filling, I varied using tomato and provola and ham and provola; naturally, you can choose according to your taste.
If you, like me, love homemade deli, follow me in the recipe!
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THESE RECIPES
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 20 pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Fried Calzones or Panzerotti with Re-milled Semolina
Base Dough
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 1/2 tbsps milk
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 g fresh yeast
- Half tsp sugar
- 15 g salt
- Half jar tomato puree (dry)
- as needed olive oil
- as needed salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 100 g cooked ham
- 200 g provola cheese
- as needed peanut oil
Tools
- Stand Mixer
- 1 Rolling Pin
- Mold for panzerotti (optional)
- Pan or small pot
- Stove
Preparation for Fried Calzones or Panzerotti with Re-milled Semolina
In a bowl by hand or in the mixer bowl, start dissolving the yeast with water and milk, slowly let the flour mixes fall in, always stirring.
Knead everything and then finally add the oil and salt.
Work the dough well; it should be compact and elastic; if the dough is too soft, add more flour, and if while adding the flour, the dough is quite compact, use less. Depending on the humidity and the brand used, it sometimes absorbs less and sometimes more.Take the dough, work it for a few minutes with your hands, shape it into a ball, and let it rise covered for at least 3 hours.
This depends on the ambient temperature; if it is warm, it will rise even sooner.When the dough is well-risen and doubled in volume, pour it onto your work surface, sprinkle with more re-milled semolina, roll out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/8 inch, and then cut out circles of the same size, each about 4 inches in diameter.
You can also use the plastic tool for panzerotti, or shape balls of 50 grams or, if you prefer, even 100, depending on your preference, and then roll out with your hands or a rolling pin.
FILLING
Once the shapes are ready, fill the calzones or panzerotti as you like with mixed fillings; use both ham and cubes of provola and the tomato puree seasoned with oil, salt, and oregano and cubes of provola or mozzarella.After filling them, close them into a half-moon shape, making sure to brush a little water on the edges to close them better, and seal them with the prongs of a fork. Place them on a tray with semolina flour.
Let the panzerotti rise again before cooking.
COOKING
Heat some peanut oil in a small pot with high edges, then add two calzones at a time, turning them for even cooking and browning; they will puff up a bit, then drain on absorbent paper.If the oil gets too dirty during cooking, strain it or change it.
At the end of frying, plate and serve the fried calzones or panzerotti hot.
If any are leftover, they are also excellent cold and reheated.
Tips and Variations
The fried calzones or panzerotti can also be baked in the oven on a baking sheet in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
You can prepare them in a smaller version or the larger version, depending on your needs.
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use other fillings?
Yes, of course, you can use the ingredients you prefer; they are also excellent with vegetables and cheese.
Can I bake them in the oven?
Yes, they can also be baked in the oven or air fryer.
Lightly brush the calzones with oil and bake them in a ventilated oven at 390°F for about 10/15 minutes, while in the air fryer for about 8-10 minutes, turning them during cooking.
The cooking time varies based on your oven’s power; remove them when they are well browned.
