Home

Crispy Fried Pizza

17/11/2023

Fried pizza is a classic of Neapolitan street food, a rustic and flavor-rich dish that is prepared relatively quickly compared to oven-baked pizza. Here is a basic recipe for crispy fried pizza:

Ingredients

  • 500 g of type 00 flour
  • 300 ml of lukewarm water
  • 12 g of fresh brewer’s yeast or 4 g of dry brewer’s yeast
  • 10 g of salt
  • Oil for frying (vegetable or extra virgin olive oil for a more characteristic flavor)

For the classic filling:

  • 200 g of ricotta
  • 100 g of smoked provola or mozzarella, cut into cubes
  • 50 g of Neapolitan salami or another type of salami of your choice, cut into cubes
  • Tomato sauce
  • Fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, then gradually add the water with the yeast, kneading until you have a smooth and slightly sticky mixture.

  2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and work it for about 10 minutes. Form a ball, cover it with a cloth and let it rest in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.

  3. Divide the leavened dough into balls of about 80-100 grams each.

  4. Roll out the balls into discs, not too thin, leaving the edges slightly thicker. Spread a little ricotta, provola, salami, tomato sauce, basil, salt, and pepper in the center of each disc.

  5. Fold the disc of dough in half, sealing the edges well to prevent them from opening during frying.

  6. Heat plenty of oil in a deep pan. Fry the pizzas until they are golden and puffed on both sides, being careful to turn them only once so they do not deflate.

  7. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

  8. Serve hot.

Curiosity

It is said that fried pizza was one of the responses to the scarcity of ovens suitable for traditional pizza baking during World War II in Naples. Furthermore, fried pizza is characterized by its versatility, being filled with a variety of ingredients, according to personal taste or family tradition.

If you wish to accompany this dish with a wine, I would suggest a sparkling white wine or a light rosé to counterbalance the richness of the dish with a note of freshness.