The Neapolitan potato croquettes, also called “panzarotti”, are a staple of Neapolitan fry shops, alongside zeppole, pasta fritters, fried scugnizzi, and rice balls, forming the classic appetizer in every Neapolitan pizzeria.
They can also be enjoyed as street food in the classic ‘cuoppo’ that various fry shops prepare around the city, or, as I do, make them at home.
Making them is quite simple, although not very quick, and requires some precautions for a good result, such as choosing “old” potatoes that are less watery to prevent the croquettes from opening during cooking.
Pay particular attention during frying to avoid burning them on the outside while leaving the inside raw.
The basic ingredients are potatoes, eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper, often with the addition (as I like to do) of fresh chopped parsley.
A must-have is the provola cheese inside, which melts, creating a stringy heart that, together with the crispy coating, makes these potato croquettes truly delightful.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for 15-20 pieces
- 2.2 lbs potatoes (old)
- 2 eggs
- 1.76 oz grated Parmesan cheese (or a mix of Parmesan and pecorino)
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper (ground)
- to taste chopped parsley (fresh)
- 7 oz provola cheese (or fiordilatte)
- 2 cups peanut oil (for frying)
- 3.5 oz flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste breadcrumbs
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Potato Masher
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
- 1 Kitchen Spatula
Steps
To prepare Neapolitan potato croquettes, first, wash the potatoes well and boil them, starting from cold water, in a large pot.
Let them cook for about 35-40 minutes from boiling (cooking times may vary according to the size of the potatoes), then drain and allow them to cool slightly before peeling.
Once slightly cooled, mash the potatoes with a potato masher and place them in a bowl. Then add the eggs, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and freshly chopped parsley.
Mix well to obtain a homogeneous mixture and allow it to rest and firm up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
After this time, retrieve the dough and form the croquettes, placing a piece of provola in the center of each. Close well to reshape your potato croquettes.
Then proceed to the breading phase, which I prefer to do by first dipping the croquettes in a batter made with water, flour, and a pinch of salt (mix well to avoid lumps).
Once dipped in the batter, coat the croquettes with breadcrumbs and proceed to fry them in hot but not too hot oil; otherwise, you risk burning the surface while leaving the inside raw.
Cook a few potato croquettes at a time to not lower the oil temperature too much, and turn them only when they have formed a crust on the side in contact with the pan.
When ready, gently remove them with a kitchen spatula and transfer them to a tray covered with absorbent paper.
Slightly salt them and serve while still hot to enjoy their stringy heart 😉.
