Panzerotti,[a] also known as panzarotti,[b] is a savory turnover, originating in the Apulia region of Italy, which resembles a small calzone, both in shape and dough used for its preparation.[1][2][3][4][5] The term usually applies to a fried turnover rather than an oven-baked pastry (i.e. calzone), although calzoni and panzerotti are often mistaken for each other.
Etymology
The noun panzerotto comes from a diminutive of panza, a regional variation of Italianpancia (lit.'belly' or 'tummy'), referring to the distinctive swelling of the pastry which resembles a belly bloating.[6]
Panzerotti are also popular in the United States and Canada as well, where there are often called "panzerotti" or "panzarotti" as a singular noun (pl.: "panzerotties"/"panzarotties" or "panzarottis"/"panzarottis").[citation needed]
In Italy
Panzerotti originated in Apulian cuisine. They are basically small versions of calzoni, but are usually fried rather than oven-baked, which is why they are also known as calzoni fritti (lit.'fried calzones') or pizze fritte (lit.'fried pizzas') in Italy, most typically in Campania. In parts of Apulia, such as Molfetta,[7] panzerotti also go by the name of frittelle or frittelli (lit.'fritters'),[8][9] while in Brindisi they are known as fritte (a local variation of frittelle).[10]
The most common fillings for this turnover are tomato and mozzarella. Peeled whole tomatoes are drained and dried to be used as a filling, as using non-dried tomatoes will cause the dough to rip due to the moisture. Other fillings are onions sauteed in olive oil and seasoned with salted anchovies and capers, or mortadella and provolone cheese.[11]
A different recipe for panzerotti is panzerotti di patate (lit.'potato panzerotti'), a specialty from Salento which consists of mashed potatocroquettes rather than panzerotti as the term is most typically intended.[12]
Outside Italy
Canada
Since the mid-1960s, panzerotti have been a popular fast food item in Canada. Commercialized frozen versions are called "Pizza Pockets" or "Pizza Pops".
Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a Canadian hub for panzerotti production in Canada and worldwide, where Naleway Foods has been dubbed the second-largest processor of pierogies and panzerotti in Canada.[13]
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