Panzerotti with cooked ham and mozzarella always bring to mind an image of a cobblestone street covered with snow, breath forming little clouds, and in the air their fragrant aroma of mozzarella and fried goodness, making everyone passing by that family-run pizzeria near the luminous fountain in L’Aquila turn their heads. Perhaps that’s why I worked so hard to learn to make them the same way …
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 12 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 fresh yeast
- 1 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 7 oz cooked ham
- 9 oz mozzarella
- 4 tablespoons corn oil
- 1 3/4 cups water
Preparation
Panzerotti with cooked ham and mozzarella can be cooked in two ways: fried or oven-baked (which is healthier), but let’s start with the dough: a fundamental element. The dough must be elastic and soft to obtain tasty and fragrant panzerotti. Usually, the dough used for pizza is used.
Follow the instructions to prepare the pizza dough.
In the meantime, you can proceed to chop the cooked ham and cut the mozzarella into cubes.
When the dough has risen (if you press a finger into it, the mark remains), roll it out with a rolling pin into a sheet about 3/8 inch thick.
Now cut out disks about 7/8 inches in diameter. Place the mozzarella cubes and chopped ham in the center; fold them in half and use a fork to press down on the edges to seal them tightly.
If you prefer them fried: fry them over medium heat for 4/5 minutes until golden, then drain them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
If you prefer them oven-baked: bake them on parchment paper at about 430°F for 20 minutes.
Easy time-saving trick:
Want an easy trick to save time when cooking?
I always prepare a few extra, because once ready, I wrap them in parchment paper and freeze them so I have them ready whenever I prefer. Just take them out of the freezer and put them in the oven while still frozen.
How long do they last?
I can attest that after two days they are still excellent. I can’t say more because they have never lasted that long.
Are you vegetarian? Then try this recipe:
panzerotti with soy ragù and mozzarella
Looking for a different flavor? Try this:
panzerotti with pesto ragù and mozzarella
Calories:
575 per piece
