Pizza Fritta

In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g 00 pizza flour, 7g instant dry yeast, and 320ml lukewarm (32C/90F) water, mixing with a wooden spoon until a shaggy mass forms. Add 10g fine sea salt and 15ml extra-virgin olive oil, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Form the dough into a tight ball, place back in the lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm (24C/75F) spot for 1 hour until doubled in volume.

Once the dough has doubled, punch it firmly in the center to release all trapped air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal 100g portions, rolling each portion into a tight, smooth ball. Arrange the balls 5cm (2 inches) apart on a floured parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature to relax the gluten for easy stretching.

Working with one dough ball at a time (keep remaining balls covered with the towel to prevent surface drying), roll or stretch each into a 15cm (6 inch) wide, 3mm (1/8 inch) thick round disc. Spoon 25g (about 1.5 tbsp) of drained crushed tomatoes onto the center of each disc, leaving a 2cm (3/4 inch) wide plain border around the edge. Top the tomato with 30g cubed low-moisture mozzarella, 3g (1 tsp) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, one fresh basil leaf, and a tiny pinch of black pepper, taking care not to overfill the discs.

Fold each topped dough disc in half over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly together with your fingertips first to push out trapped air, then crimp the edge tightly with the tines of a fork or twist it into a raised rope pattern to create a fully sealed, airtight pocket with no gaps for filling to leak. Let the sealed pockets rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to set the seal before frying.

Pour 1.5 liters of neutral frying oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep fryer, and heat over medium stovetop heat until the oil reaches a steady 180C (350F), measured with a clip-on candy/deep fry thermometer. Adjust the burner heat as needed to maintain this consistent temperature throughout frying; oil that is too hot will burn the crust before the interior cooks, while oil that is too cool will produce greasy, heavy pockets.

Carefully lower 1-2 sealed pizza pockets into the hot oil at a time (do not add more, as overcrowding drops oil temperature). Fry for 2.5 minutes total, flipping each pocket once halfway through cooking with a slotted metal spoon, until the pockets are deep golden brown, fully puffed, and crispy on all sides. Once cooked, lift each pocket out with the slotted spoon, hold it above the pot for 10 seconds to let excess oil drain, then transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels.

While the fried pockets are still hot, sprinkle the tops with the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a light pinch of flaky sea salt, then garnish each with a small fresh basil leaf. Let the pizza fritta cool for 3 minutes before serving, as the melted cheese filling inside will be extremely hot immediately after frying.