PANZEROTTI FRITTI (fried small pizza pockets)

Pizza - appetizer 

For the pizza dough:
1 cup Italian 00 flour
1 cup Italian Semola rimacinata di grano duro (durum wheat semolina, milled twice)
3/4 to 1 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast

For the stuffing:
14 oz chopped or strained Italian San Marzano
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes packed in extra virgin olive oil, julienned
10 oz mozzarella, shredded
6 oz marinated artichoke hearts, drained
Italian anchovy fillets, packed in oil and drained
2 sliced Ham, cut in strips
1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
1 tbsp freshly chopped oregano

Italian extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, cut in half

Put yeast and sugar in a small bowl with 1/4 cup of warm water (don't exceed 110 degrees), mix and set aside for about 10 minutes: when the content is doubled, your yeast is active.

In a larger bowl, combine flour and salt and mix. Add the yeast mixture and the remaining warm water and knead, on a lightly floured surface, until you obtain a smooth dough; if dough is "sticky", dust your hands and the working surface with flour.

Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a towel and set aside for at least 1 hour, until it doubles in volume. During wintertime it might take longer, during summertime less.

In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce for your panzerotti.

In a small saucepan, warm up 1 tbsp olive oil and sautee garlic until golden. Add San Marzano tomatoes and season with salt; cook for about 10 minutes, stir in basil and oregano and cook for 5-10 more minutes, until it thickens; discard garlic.

Roll out the dough about 1/8"-1/4" and cut it in rounds with a cokie cutter.

Lightly spread rounds with tomato sauce (half of the surface), leaving about 1" all around without. Top with sun dried tomatoes, anchovies and mozzarella; artichokes, hams and mozzarella; mozzarella only.

Fold pockets and seal tightly!!

Deep fry them until golden and serve immediately.

The number of panzerotti depends on their size.

- You can bake them at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remember to drizzle with olive oil, if you bake them.
- If you use fast rising yeast, you can mix it to the flours before adding salt (they should not "touch" each other).
- You can also use Italian olives, but remove the pits!
- The choice of good quality ingredients is necessary in order to obtain a good dish!!
- It can be vegetarian, provided that you don't use anchovies or ham