Panzarotti
Encyclopedia
Panzarotti or panzerotti are filled, savory pastries, different forms of which are popular in Italy
, in Ontario
, Canada
, and in the United States
, especially in Southern New Jersey.
Panzerotti originated in central and southern Italy, especially in Apulia
. They are small versions of the calzone
or closed pizza
, but produced with a softer dough. The most common fillings are tomato and mozzarella, but spinach, mushrooms, baby corn, and ham are often used. Another filling is onions stir fried in olive oil and seasoned with salted anchovies and capers, a seasoning that, mixed with bread, is also used in Apulia for stuffed bell peppers.
Agostino Luini brought panzerotti to the northern Italian city of Milan
in the late 1940s, setting up shop near that city's Gothic cathedral
. Panificio Figli Luini's proximity to the Duomo, the Galleria
, and the via Dante pedestrian zone has made the panzerotti widely known among both Milanese and tourists. Luini has gone on to open a London café, since renamed "Sfizio".
The analogous word, pansoti, is used in the Genoa
area for stuffed pasta similar to tortellini
.
It consists of a pocket of dough filled with varying amounts of melted mozzarella cheese
, tomato sauce, and any reasonable number of fillings, which is then wrapped, salted, and deep-fried. The panzarotti rises during this process, creating a pocket containing a considerable amount of steam which should be partially released prior to eating.
Panzarottis are available throughout the United States in various Italian cuisine restaurants.
item in Ontario, where the singular form is often "panzerotto". Commercialized frozen versions are called Pizza Pockets
.
The Panzarotti or 'Panz' has also become highly popular among the youth of Nova Scotia. The Donair Paz and dub che panz are two highly popular styles along with the very daring poutine panz which was first created by Jim Ceb. Other popular styles are traditional pizza (pep,bac,mush) as well as a desert panzarotti or desertarotti.
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...
, in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, especially in Southern New Jersey.
Italy
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
. They are small versions of the calzone
Calzone
A calzone Italian: , "stocking" or "trouser") is a turnover that originates from Italy. It is shaped like a semicircle, made of dough folded over and filled with ingredients common to pizza....
or closed pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
, but produced with a softer dough. The most common fillings are tomato and mozzarella, but spinach, mushrooms, baby corn, and ham are often used. Another filling is onions stir fried in olive oil and seasoned with salted anchovies and capers, a seasoning that, mixed with bread, is also used in Apulia for stuffed bell peppers.
Agostino Luini brought panzerotti to the northern Italian city of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in the late 1940s, setting up shop near that city's Gothic cathedral
Duomo di Milano
Milan Cathedral is the cathedral church of Milan, Italy. Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente , it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Cardinal Angelo Scola....
. Panificio Figli Luini's proximity to the Duomo, the Galleria
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a double arcade in the center of Milan, Italy. The structure is formed by two glass-vaulted arcades intersecting in an octagon covering the street connecting Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala....
, and the via Dante pedestrian zone has made the panzerotti widely known among both Milanese and tourists. Luini has gone on to open a London café, since renamed "Sfizio".
The analogous word, pansoti, is used in the Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
area for stuffed pasta similar to tortellini
Tortellini
Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta. They are typically stuffed with a mix of meat or cheese. Originally from the Italian region of Emilia , they are usually served in broth, meat broth, either of beef, chicken, or both...
.
United States
In America the word has come to be spelled "panzarotti", and is regarded as singular (with the plural being "panzarotties" or "panzarotti"). They can come in various sizes from 4" to 12", and are most commonly semi-circular shaped.It consists of a pocket of dough filled with varying amounts of melted mozzarella cheese
Mozzarella
Mozzarella is an Italian Traditional Speciality Guaranteed food product. The term is used for several kinds of Italian cheeses that are made using spinning and then cutting :...
, tomato sauce, and any reasonable number of fillings, which is then wrapped, salted, and deep-fried. The panzarotti rises during this process, creating a pocket containing a considerable amount of steam which should be partially released prior to eating.
Panzarottis are available throughout the United States in various Italian cuisine restaurants.
Canada
Since the mid-1960s, panzarottis have been a popular fast foodFast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
item in Ontario, where the singular form is often "panzerotto". Commercialized frozen versions are called Pizza Pockets
Pizza Pockets
Pizza Pockets are a calzone-type snack produced by McCain Foods Limited. Like other foods of this type, they are sold cooked but frozen. They can be reheated in a microwave oven, but they may also be cooked in a regular oven....
.
The Panzarotti or 'Panz' has also become highly popular among the youth of Nova Scotia. The Donair Paz and dub che panz are two highly popular styles along with the very daring poutine panz which was first created by Jim Ceb. Other popular styles are traditional pizza (pep,bac,mush) as well as a desert panzarotti or desertarotti.
See also
- CalzoneCalzoneA calzone Italian: , "stocking" or "trouser") is a turnover that originates from Italy. It is shaped like a semicircle, made of dough folded over and filled with ingredients common to pizza....
- StromboliStromboli (food)Stromboli is a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, typically mozzarella, Italian meats such as salami, capicola and bresaola or vegetables...
- Cornish pasty
- Sambusac
- EmpanadaEmpanadaAn empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin America, Southern Europe and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing...