Panzerotti from Como

Hi there! I´m blogging from Lake Como, where I have spent the last 5 days visiting my boyfriend. Winter is so great in Italy: temperatures are mild, it´s not too cold, and it´s sunny. The weather was so lovely that even my dog decided to go swimming in the lake with the ducks!!! We were taking a walk without the leash because he usually is very obedient and I just did not expect him to dive... hahaha such a prankster!

When I am back in my home-country my taste buds go crazy; I have to eat all the good things that I miss in Austria, I have to go back to the amazing Italian kitchen which I never realise how much I miss until I am in the lanes of an Italian supermarket. Here in Como I decided to cook something for the two of us, something typical Italian: "panzerotti", also known as "calzoni" or "pizza fritta". This recipe is originally from the region of Puglia, in Southern Italy, but panzerotti have become a real must for Milanese people too. Every person born in Milano (as I am - I moved to Trieste later) has learned as a kid that each visit to the Duomo must include a stop at Panificio Luini. Later on they´ll learn to park on sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, but this is another story hehehe! Luini´s panzerotti are tremendously good since 1888 that is why there are always people queuing up to the road.

On this visit, unfortunately I didn´t have time to go to Milano, but as a Milanese girl I know how to make panzerotti myself (my grandfather gave me his recipe) so this is exactly what I did! We loved them and I am sure you will too, so I want to share myrecipe with you.

Ingredients:

olive or frying oil

salt

ricotta

ham

poppy seeds

cherry tomatoes

mozzarella

basil

pizza dough

- either you make it yourself following this recipe I have posted

- or you buy ready made one which is a great solution if you do not have enough time but want to make a good impression on guests. This recipe is perfect for a dinner party!

 

Procedure:

Spread out the dough (either one you chose) on a flat surface and cut out squares about 3mm thick and 10cm wide. Now start filling them. I made two varieties: "prosciutto, ricotta e semi di papavero" & "pomodoro, mozzarella e basilico". In the middle of some dough squares place a spoon of ricotta, one slice of ham and a sprinkle of poppy seeds, in the others put a couple slices of mozzarella, 2-3 tomatoes cut in half, and some basil leaves. Then fold the dough in half over the filling in order to form a triangle and start closing the sides simply by pinching them together with your fingers. If necessary fold the dough to make a rim. When ready take a frying pan, pour in the oil and when it sizzles put in the panzerotti. Fry them on both sides until golden brown. A bit of salt and they are ready to be eaten!

Enjoy ♥

Martina

Cu♥re italiano: pizza muffins

I came up with this new and cool idea: pizza muffins! It's nothing else than pizza dough filled with whole cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basilico, baked in a muffin mould. They are great for parties or simply when you feel like having a special snack.

Since I gave you the pizza recipe on one of my previous posts (this one) you can try them out yourself! When they are ready just a bit of olive oil and some fresh basilico leaves will give the real Italian touch to the English-born muffins.

Enjoy ♥

Martina

Italians do it better!

I mean pizza of course ;-P

The original one was invented in Naples from the Italian "pizzaiolo" Raffaele Esposito in 1889, during a visit of the Queen Margherita di Savoia. In her honour he served a pizza resembling the colors of the Italian flag: red with tomato, white with mozzarella, and green with basil. This kind of pizza has been named after the Queen as Pizza Margherita.

I am Italian too and was born exactly 100 years later in 1989, so I could not miss out on this one!
To make pizza dough is really easy so I want to share my recipe for you to try and make your own home-made pizza with anything you like.

Ingredients for 4 big pizzas:

600 ml. warm water

1 kg. flour (the Italian "farina 00" is the best)

50 gr. yeast

20 gr. salt

2 spoons of sugar

6 spoons of olive oil

mozzarella (di bufala is much better)

tomato sauce

basil leaves
 -

Procedure:

Take a bowl and pour 200 ml. of warm water and melt in it the sugar and the yeast.

Take another bowl and pour 200 ml. of warm water and melt in it the salt. Then add the oil.

Put the flour in your mixer and start beating it - using the hook - with the sugar and yest mixture. Then add the melted salt and oil. 

If the dough is too sandy add more water (remember you still have 200 ml.); if it is too liquid add flour.

When it is smooth and soft put it a big bowl (or leave it in the mixer), with some flour on the bottom, and cover it with a towel.
Let the dough rest for at least an hour. The longer, the better! I usually do it in the morning and eat it in the evening. Anyways as soon as it has doubled its size you can start forming your pizzas.

Put a sheet of baking paper on your oven gridiron and form the pizzas.

This time instead of making 4 big ones, I made a huge quantity of smaller ones: "pizzette"! 

Great for partys!!!

Then add the tomato sauce and mozzarella.

A leaf of basilico, which is actually better after the baking is over, and then bake in the oven at 250° C for about 15 minutes or as soon as the crust is golden brown.

Add a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy your original Neapolitan pizza.

Everybody loves pizza!

Buon appettito guaglioni!

Martina ♥