Pizza Fritta

Pizza Fritta (Neapolitan Fried Pizza)

A classic Neapolitan street food, pizza fritta consists of a disc of pizza dough that is deep-fried until puffed and golden, then folded or topped like a classic pizza. This is the version historically sold by 'friggitori' and home cooks alike in Naples.

Prep

20 min

Cook

10 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) 00 flour, or all-purpose; 00 gives the most authentic chew
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water, around 25 °C / 77 °F
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
• •3 g (1 tsp) instant yeast, or fresh yeast, 6 g / 0.2 oz
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
• •500 ml (2 cups) sunflower or peanut oil, for frying; neutral, high-smoke-point oil
• •250 g (8½ oz) fresh mozzarella fior di latte, torn into pieces; well drained
• •200 g (7 oz) canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand, lightly seasoned with salt
• •1 tbsp dried oregano
• •fine sea salt, to taste, for the tomato
• •fresh basil leaves, to taste, optional

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Add the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 8–10 minutes (by hand) or 6 minutes in a stand mixer until smooth and elastic. Drizzle in the olive oil and knead another 2 minutes until incorporated. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1½–2 hours, until roughly doubled.
2. 2 Meanwhile, season the crushed tomatoes with a pinch of salt and a pinch of oregano; do not cook them. Drain the mozzarella well on paper towels.
3. 3 Heat about 3 cm (1¼ in) of frying oil in a heavy, wide pan to 170–175 °C (340–350 °F). Use a thermometer; this is the safe frying range.
4. 4 Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (about 200 g / 7 oz each). On a lightly floured surface, stretch each piece by hand into a round roughly 22–25 cm (9–10 in) across; do not use a rolling pin if you want the characteristic puffy, blistered edge.
5. 5 Carefully lay one dough round into the hot oil. It should bubble vigorously; if it barely sizzles, the oil is too cold. Fry for about 90 seconds on the first side, until golden and puffed, then flip and fry 30–60 seconds on the second side.
6. 6 Lift out with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack (not paper towels, which make it soggy). Keep warm while you fry the remaining rounds.
7. 7 To serve 'alla pizzaiola': spoon crushed tomato over half of each fried round, scatter mozzarella and a basil leaf on top, fold the plain half over like a half-moon, and eat immediately while the crust is still crisp and the cheese is melting.
8. 8 Food safety: fry only until the dough is visibly golden and has held at 170+ °C (340+ °F) for 90+ seconds; well-drained mozzarella and freshly seasoned raw tomato pose no special risk, but serve immediately and do not hold at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheat any leftover fried crust to 75 °C (165 °F) before re-serving.