Galbani^® Panzerotti

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose and strong bread flours.
2. In a separate smaller bowl, dissolve the yeast in half of the lukewarm water, followed by the sugar. In another bowl, place the salt in the rest of the water.
3. Add the yeast and sugar mixture to the flour, and slowly add the salt water while using your hands to bring the dough together.
4. Drizzle the oil into the dough, incorporating it with your hands.
5. Turn the dough out onto a smooth, flour-dusted wooden surface, and continue to knead with your hands until it is soft and smooth, approximately 10 minutes.
6. Place dough in a clean bowl and brush with a little extra virgin olive oil on top. Cover and leave the dough in a warm place to rise for an hour.
7. Cut risen dough into 15 one-inch pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and then flatten each one into a circle.
8. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of tomato puree in the center of each circle, then add 1 teaspoon of diced Mozzarella on top.
9. Sprinkle with basil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
10. Carefully lift the dough from one side to fold over the other, forming a half moon shape, and press down with your thumb to seal. Finally, to ensure the panzerotti don’t open, fold the bottom edge over the top edge and use the tips of a fork to press them down, crimping them shut.
11. To fry the panzerotti, heat vegetable oil to a boil in a deep skillet. Using a slotted spoon, working with just a couple of panzerotti at a time, place carefully into the boiling oil, turning over once to ensure they are cooked evenly until golden on both sides, about 4–5 minutes. Remove the panzerotti with the slotted spoon and transfer to a platter covered in paper towels to drain.
12. Repeat the process with the remaining panzerotti, and serve while hot. Serve with marinara sauce on the side as a garnish, if desired.