How to make the Panzerotti:
sift the
flour with the salt onto a board in a mound, hollow out the center, and pour
in the butter and egg yolk. Work the flour into the liquid with the fingers,
adding a little milk from time to time, as needed, to make a smooth,
well-blended, firm dough. Wrap it in a clean cloth and let it rest for half an
hour. Then put the dough on a lightly floured board, roll it out, and fold it
over on itself twice. Wrap it in the cloth again and let it rest while you
prepare the filling. Put the chopped mozzarella, prosciutto, grated Parmesan
cheese, and parsley in a bowl; season with the salt, freshly ground black
pepper, and nutmeg. Add the eggs, and blend thoroughly. Divide the dough in
half and roll out two sheets, each 1/8 inch thick. Brush one sheet with beaten
egg and space small heaps of the filling on it 1 1/2 inches apart.
Brush the second sheet with beaten egg and lay it over the
first sheet. Press the fingers on the dough all around the spots of filling.
Then, with a pastry wheel, cut out squares, each containing a knob of filling.
Press the edges of each square down again to make sure that none of the
filling escapes during the cooking. As you finish the panzerotti, line them up
on a lightly floured cloth, taking care that they do not touch each other.
Heat the fat in a deep fryer or skillet to 375 degrees. Dip the panzerotti
into the beaten egg and drop them at once into the hot fat. Remove them with a
slotted spoon after about 6 minutes. They should be crisp and golden. Drain on
an absorbent paper. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and serve at once.
Serving suggestion: Serve the panzerotti on a bed of tomato sauce
and garnish with fresh chopped parsley flakes and Parmesan cheese chips.
Source: Flavors of Apulia Nancy Harmon Jenkins Broadway Books.
A classic Italian panzerotti recipe with a
ham and mozzarella cheese filling. Panzerotti are quite like very big
Ravioli, except that they are deep fried rather than boiled.
Pugliese cuisine is based on olive oil, one
of the great products of the region. In any given year, Apulia produces as
much as two-thirds of all the olive oil in Italy, and while much of it is
shipped north, more of it stays right here to be used in Pugliese kitchens.
Cooks in Apulia even deep-fry with extra virgin oil, something that is
routine in many parts of the Mediterranean such as Sicily, Andalucia in
southern Spain and Greece.
Serves 6
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