Fried Neapolitan Calzoncelli by Grandma Anna, with prosciutto and provola
This recipe of fried Neapolitan calzoncelli is from my paternal grandmother, it was one of her signature dishes, she always made them for holidays and occasions and they are a guaranteed success.
I recommend making a large quantity of these special treats because they disappear in no time, one leads to another, I assure you that they are super soft, cheesy, and extremely delicious!
The stuffing method is unusual, read the procedure.
If you love Neapolitan cuisine, click on my Special: “Authentic Neapolitan Cuisine“
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 3 Hours
- Portions: 10 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Campania
- Seasonality: All seasons, Carnival
Ingredients for Fried Neapolitan Calzoncelli
- 4 cups cups all-purpose flour
- 7 oz oz potatoes (already peeled and skinned)
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsp tbsp butter (1 tablespoon approximately)
- 1 tbsp sugar (1 oz approximately)
- 0.88 oz oz fresh yeast
- 1 tbsp milk (or water)
- 10 pinches fine salt
- 1 lemon (grated)
- as needed olive oil (plentiful for frying)
- 3.5 oz oz lard (for frying)
- 8.8 oz oz prosciutto crudo, from San Daniele DOP
- 14 oz oz provola cheese
Tools
- Bowl
- Potato Masher Electric
- Stand Mixer
- Deep Fryer
- Slotted Spoon
- Parchment Paper
Preparation of Fried Neapolitan Calzoncelli
Make a soft dough with 100 g of flour (taken from the total of 500), a tablespoon of milk (or water), fresh yeast, and sugar, and let it rise for about half an hour.
Meanwhile, wash the potatoes and boil them in cold water. Wait for it to boil, lower the heat, and cook for about 20 minutes, then peel and mash them with a fork (I use my electric potato masher, see note below).
Once the dough has risen, add it to the remaining flour (400g), combine the potatoes, whole eggs, softened butter, and grated lemon zest (important), and mix in the stand mixer first with the paddle attachment then with the dough hook for about 15 minutes; finally, add the salt.
Let the dough rise for about an hour and 30 minutes, until it doubles in size.
Once the dough has risen, form small rolls and wrap each one around a stick of provola wrapped with prosciutto (see photo), sealing the ends.
Do not remove the fat from the prosciutto, because the heat from frying will melt it, making the calzoncelli very tasty and flavorful.
Place the calzoncelli on lightly floured parchment paper and let them rise for another hour.
After the rising time, take a wide pot with high edges, fill it with plentiful oil and lard, heat well, and fry a few calzoncelli at a time, around 170°F (a kitchen thermometer would be ideal).
Place the calzoncelli on absorbent paper and serve them hot, preferably just fried, but they are also delicious if you fry them first and then reheat them in the oven at 400°F.
Notes and Tips
These fried Neapolitan calzoncelli are also delicious stuffed with mozzarella (7 oz) and anchovies (1 jar) or with sausages/provola and pancetta, you can also make them with mixed stuffing.
You can skip the lard in frying, but I recommend it.
Shopping Tips !!!
To quickly mash the potatoes, I used my handy electric potato masher that purees any type of cooked vegetable, it is an accessory (to be purchased separately) of the Braun MultiQuick 7 Minipimer, which you can purchase at a special price by clicking HERE. #adv
Read my review for GialloZafferano on the Minipimer “Braun MQ9045 MultiQuick 9”
To knead perfectly, I use my Titanium Chef Patissier XL stand mixer with 7L EasyWarm bowl, integrated scale, and blender, a faithful kitchen ally for kneading, weighing, whipping, cooking, chopping, and pasteurizing eggs. #adv
If you are instead looking for a more affordable and smaller stand mixer model, you can safely choose to purchase the excellent Kenwood Titanium Chef Baker XL, 1200W power, 5L bowl and integrated scale. #adv
You can fry the calzoncelli in a deep casserole with frying basket or you can use this handy deep fryer with removable inner container and a cold zone that prevents small dough residues from burning, keeping the oil cleaner longer and not producing smoke and bad odors, available on Amazon at a special price. #adv
To weigh ingredients, I use this practical digital kitchen scale, with a large removable bowl, tare function and built-in timer, available on Amazon at a great price. #adv
To weigh ingredients, I use this practical digital kitchen scale, with a large removable bowl, tare function, and built-in timer, available on Amazon at a great price. #adv
How to Prepare a Good Fry?
To fry perfectly, the oil must be at a temperature between 338°F and 356°F and must never exceed its smoke point. The right amount of oil for the crispiest and driest fry is one liter of oil for each kilogram of product to be fried
