Panzerotti Pugliesi — Apulia's Fried Street-Food Pockets

Drain the mozzarella: cut it into 1 cm cubes, spread on a plate lined with paper towels, and leave uncovered for at least 30 minutes. Wet mozzarella is the main reason panzerotti burst in the oil.

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk and let it stand 5 minutes until slightly foamy. In a large bowl or on a work surface, make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast-milk mixture and olive oil.

Add the salt to the flour side of the well (not directly onto the yeast). Bring the mixture together and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, slightly tacky, and springy. It should not stick to the work surface.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film or a damp cloth, and leave at room temperature for 2 hours until roughly doubled.

Season the passata lightly with salt. If it looks watery, spoon it into a sieve and drain for 10 minutes — a thick filling stays put, a wet one leaks.

Divide the risen dough into 8 equal pieces (about 70 g each). Roll each into a ball, then use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch each ball into a disc roughly 13–15 cm across and about 3 mm thick.

Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of passata onto one half of each disc, leaving a 1.5 cm border. Scatter a few mozzarella cubes on top. Do not overfill — the seam needs clean dough to grip.

Fold the empty half over the filling to form a half-moon. Press the edge firmly with your fingers, then crimp all the way around with a fork. Check for gaps — even a pinhole causes leaking.

Heat the frying oil in a deep heavy pot to 175°C. Test with a wooden skewer: brisk, steady bubbles means it's ready.

Lower 2–3 panzerotti into the oil using a slotted spoon. Fry about 2 minutes per side, turning once, until deep golden. Do not crowd the pot.

Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels for 1 minute. Serve immediately while the crust is still crackling.