Sicilian Fried Calzone Recipe Pitoni Messinesi

Sicilian Fried Calzone are a typical street food of Messina, Sicily. A pizza-like dough is filled with escarole, tomatoes, cheese and anchovies to create a tasty treat enjoyed as a snack or quick lunch.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 envelope dry yeast 8 grams

• 1 cup water

• 2 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1 heaping tsp salt

• 3 tablespoon butter cubed

For the filling

• ½ head curly escarole rinsed, dried and finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

• 200 grams cubed cheese such as caciocavallo, tuma, scamorza or provola

• 4-5 anchovy fillets in oil

For frying

• vegetable oil canola or corn oil work well

Instructions

Prepare the dough

1. Proof the yeast by warming water until tepid, pour into a bowl and add yeast and sugar.  Let sit for about ten minutes until it is foamy.

2. Meanwhile pour flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with dough hook attached and combine.  Add cubed butter and mix on low speed for a minute until it is dispersed in the flour. Or, you may find it easier to cut the butter into the flour using your fingers as I did.

3. Once the yeast is foamy, add to the flour mixture.  Mix on low speed for one minute until a dough begins to shape.  Increase to medium speed and knead for about eight minutes until a smooth elastic dough is formed. You may choose to knead it by hand for a minute or two until the dough is completely smooth.

4. Shape into a ball and place in a bowl greased with olive oil.  Turn to coat the ball of dough with the oil.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm place, free of draft, to rise until doubled in bulk, about two hours.  I often place the bowl in my unlit oven.

5. Divide the dough into 8 -100 gram balls, or 10 -80 gram balls.  For smaller, bite size rosticceria pieces divide into 16 or 20 balls. You are now ready to shape your rosticceria pieces. Keep dough balls covered

Prepare the filling

1.     Toss the chopped escarole with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on how large they are. Cut the cheese into small cubes. Finely chope the anchovy fillets.

To assemble

1.     Roll out each ball of dough into a thin circle. Place a spoonful of escarole, a few pieces of tomato, cubed cheese and anchovies on one half of the dough.

2.     Fold the dough over and seal the edges by folding the two edges together with your fingers or pinch with a fork.

3.     Place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet lightly sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent them from sticking. Continue with the remaining dough balls.

To fry

1.     Fill a wide, deep skillet about ⅓ of the way with vegetable oil (canola or corn oil work well). Heat the oil and test if it is hot enough for frying by placing the handle of a wooden spoon in the centre of the skillet. If the oil immediately bubbles around the handle it is ready.

2.     Carefully place 2 or 3 pitoni in the hot oil. When they are a light golden color, flip and fry the opposite side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towel covered trays to absorb the excess oil. Serve hot.