Pizzelle from the Neapolitan tradition are small fried pizzas served with tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella or provolone cheese. Not to be confused with the pizzelle from Abbruzzo which are a sort of sweet waffle cookie, also called ferratelle.

I think, like most non-Neapolitan Italians, I got my introduction to pizzelle in the film, “L’oro di Napoli” (The gold of Naples). The film was directed by Vittorio De Sica a leading figure in the Italian neorealist movement. This comedy is divided in six episodes and De Sica dedicates almost an entire episode to the pizzelle prepared by Sofia Loren. It’s worth watching even if you don’t speak Italian. You can see it here on YouTube.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
4-1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1,3 oz. cake compressed fresh yeast or 1 pack. 7 g. dry active yeast
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup/ ml. 225 lukewarm whole milk
1/2 cup/ ml. 225 lukewarm water
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sugar
light extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil for frying

For the tomato sauce:
3.5 lbs./ kg. 1.6  ripe plum tomatoes or 2.2 lbs/kg. 1 canned tomato chunks
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
6 peeled garlic cloves
sea salt to taste
basil leaves
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Makes: 16 big pizzelle

Instructions:

For the dough:
1. In a bowl mix the sifted flour, the crumbled yeast and the sugar. Slowly add the water-milk mixture and the oil. When the dough is roughly combined add the salt.
2. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes and then shape into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
3. Let it stand in a dry place, better the oven, for 1-1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
4. Divide the dough in 16 equal pieces and shape them into balls.
5. Flatten the balls with your fingers making a concave in the middle.

For the tomato sauce:
1. While the dough is rising cut a cross at the bottom of each tomato.
2. Heat up a pot of water and when warm add the tomatoes and let them cook for 1-1/2 minutes. Then place them in cold water.
3. Peel them, discard liquid and seeds and then cut the rest in cubes.
4. Heat up the oil in a non stick pan then add  the garlic slightly crushed. When you start smelling the garlic add the tomato pulp 4-5 basil leaves and let it cook at medium-high heat for 15 minutes mixing it often. Salt to taste.

Frying and assembly the pizzelle:
1. Heat up the oil in a pan until it reaches 350°F/180°C add few pizzelle at the time and cook less than a minute per side.
2. Place the pizzelle on a paper-towel to absorb the extra oil.
3. Top them with the tomato sauce, sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese and decorate them with basil leave. Serve warm.

Notes:
1. Pizzelle can be eaten warm or cold. They can be kept warm in the oven while you’re frying the others.  As well they can be reheated in the oven later in the day at 220°/120°.
2. I prefer the pizzelle with Parmesan. Though they can be served with mozzarella or provolone or simply with cold cuts like salami or prosciutto.
3. There are different methods to shape them. I divided the dough in equal pieces then shaped them in balls and flattened down using the fingers to give them a rustic look. Some people instead roll the dough with a rolling pin then cut the pizzelle using a round cookie cutter. The important thing is to make the concave in the middle. While I was frying them some of them started to swell so I just poked them with a knife.

Ingredients:

4 1/3 cups all purpose flour
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
warm water
1 pack. 7 gr. dry active yeast
fresh rosemary and sage

Instructions:

1. In a big bowl combine the flour, salt and yeast with 6 Tbsp. olive oil and then add some warm water slowly mixing with a fork. Add warm water a bit at a time and continue mixing until you have a nice pliable dough.
2. Knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes and then shape into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.
3. Let it stand in a dry place for 1 hour.
4. Work the dough a little bit more and then press it onto a round 14″ oven pan greased with olive oil.
5. Poke the dough with your fingers to give it a dimpled look and then set it aside to raise again for another hour.
6. Brush it generously with olive oil and sprinkle coarse salt over it.
7. Bake it in a preheated oven at 450° for 15 to 20 minutes.
8. About 5 minutes before it’s done remove from the oven, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh rosemary and sage leaves. Put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until done.
9. If the focaccia browns too quickly while baking cover it with tin foil.

Notes:

If you prefer to use compressed yeast (cake yeast) you’ll need just a bit under 1 oz. Dissolve it in warm water and add it in step 1.

Ingredients:

4 1/3 cups all purpose flour
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
warm water
1 pack. 7 gr. dry active yeast
1 thinly sliced small white onion

Instructions:

1. In a big bowl combine the flour, salt and yeast with 6 Tbsp. olive oil and then add some warm water slowly mixing with a fork. Add warm water a bit at a time and continue mixing until you have a nice pliable dough.
2. Knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes and then shape into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.
3. Let it stand in a dry place for 1 hour.
4. Work the dough a little bit more and then press it onto a round 14″ oven pan greased with olive oil.
5. Poke the dough with your fingers to give it a dimpled look and then set it aside to raise again for another hour.
6. Brush it generously with olive oil and sprinkle coarse salt over it.
7. Now spread the onions evenly on the focaccia.
8. Bake it in a preheated oven at 450° for 20 to 25 minutes.
9. If the focaccia browns too quickly while baking cover it with tin foil.

Notes:

Optionally you can cut this onions a little thicker and then sauté them in olive oil until they are soft before adding them to the focaccia.

If you prefer to use compressed yeast (cake yeast) you’ll need just a bit under 1 oz. Dissolve it in warm water and add it in step number 1.

Ingredients:

4-1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
10 oz potatoes
1 pack. 7 gr. dry active yeast
black or green olives and cherry tomatoes to decorate
Instructions:

1. Boil the potatoes whole with the skins.
2. Once cooked peel the potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer.
3. Combine the potatoes with the flour yeast, and add a good pinch of salt.
4. Add the lukewarm water and then the oil a bit at a time as it absorbs into the dough.
5. When the oil is all worked in prepare a round pan (I used a 14″ pizza pan here). Grease it lightly with oil and add the dough.
6. Let it raise for 2 hours.
7. Decorate the focaccia border with olives and halved cherry tomatoes.
8. Baked at 400° for about 40′ or until golden brown.
9. Serve immediately or when cool, it’s good either way.

Notes:

If you prefer to use compressed yeast (cake yeast) you’ll need just a bit under 1 oz. Dissolve it in warm water and add it in step 1.

Ingredients:

4 1/3 cups all purpose flour
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
warm water
1 pack. 7 gr. dry active yeast

Instructions:

1. In a big bowl combine the flour, salt and yeast with 6 Tbsp. olive oil and then add some warm water slowly mixing with a fork. Add warm water a bit at a time and continue mixing until you have a nice pliable dough.
2. Knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes and then shape into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.
3. Let it stand in a dry place for 1 hour.
4. Work the dough a little bit more and then press it onto a round 14″ oven pan greased with olive oil.
5. Poke the dough with your fingers to give it a dimpled look and then set it aside to raise again for another hour.
6. Brush it generously with olive oil and sprinkle coarse salt over it.
7. Bake it in a preheated oven at 450° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. If it gets too dry or browns too quickly cover it with tin foil.

Notes:

If you prefer to use compressed yeast (cake yeast) you’ll need just a bit under 1 oz. Dissolve it in warm water and add it in step 1.

This is a classic pizza from Liguria, particularly from the Imperia area and San Remo. It’s a really flavorful pizza due to the anchovies and garlic.

Ingredients:

Basic pizza dough

Topping recipe:

1 medium white onion thinly sliced
20 oz. chopped canned tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-7 salted anchovies*
Taggiasche olives for decoration*
whole cloves garlic for decoration
1 leaf of basil
oregano
salt to taste
Instructions:

1. When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Grease a baking sheet approximately 15 ” X 11″ with olive oil. I use a regular rectangular baking sheet. Then flatten the dough using your fingers.
3. In a skillet preheat the olive oil and sauté the onions until they’re translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Lastly add the anchovies and cook them until well melted and combined. Max 5 minutes. Check the salt and in case add it to taste. For flavoring add the basil leave at the last minute but don’t cook it.
6. Spread the sauce over the dough and decorate it by inserting the not peeled garlic cloves right into the crust and the olives on top. Sprinkle the pizza with oregano and olive oil.
7. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until cooked. Serve it hot.

Notes:

Salted anchovies: if you don’t find salted anchovies use 1 small jar of anchovies conserved in olive oil.

Taggiasche olives: if you don’t find them use black olives

Ingredients:

Basic pizza dough

1 large onion sliced thinly
2 3 0z. cans tuna fish
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Grease a baking sheet approximately 15 ” x 11″  with olive oil. I use a regular rectangular baking sheet, but if you want to use a round pan the equivalent should be about a 13″ pizza pan. Then flatten half of the dough using your fingers or a rolling pin. It’ll be thin as an Italian pizza should be.
3. Combine the tomatoes with 3 Tbsp. oil 1/2 tsp. salt and spread the mixture over the pizza crust.
4. Bake the pizza for 10 minutes or until almost cooked.
5. In the mean time cook the onions in olive oil until they’ve softened up.
6. Spread the onions over the pizza crust.
7. Drain the oil from the tuna fish and add it to the pizza and then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

Basic pizza dough

The following ingredients are for one pizza, or half the dough recipe:
1 lb. radicchio
3-1/2 oz. Italian parmesan
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. ground dry bread crumbs
salt to taste
extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Clean the radicchio and slice them thinly.
2. Cook the radicchio in a pan with butter and salt until it is tender. It’ll loose most of its volume.
3. Grease a baking sheet approximately 15 ” X 11″ with olive oil. I use a regular rectangular baking sheet, but if you want to use a round pan the equivalent should be about a 14″ pizza pan.
4. Roll half the dough using a rolling pin or simply use your fingers to spread it on the baking sheet.
5. Add the radicchio to the crust.
6. Now Add the parmesan in very thin slices, the thinner the better.
7. Sprinkle the ground bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Finally add a few spoons of olive oil.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until done in a preheated oven at 450°.

Notes:

When I make this pizza I prefer to substitute 1-1/3 cups whole wheat flour for the regular flour in the pizza crust.

Ingredients:

Basic pizza dough

The following ingredients are for one pizza, or half the dough
recipe:
2 small potatoes
3-1/2 oz pancetta (unsmoked bacon)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Italian mozzarella
1 medium white onion
1 cup canned tomatoes
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. dry oregano (optional)
salt to taste
olive oil to grease

Instructions:

1. Slice the onion very thinly.
2. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, sauté onions in 2 Tbsp. oil until tender. Add a little water if they get to dry.
3. Meanwhile boil the potatoes in salted water. Once cooked peel them and cut them into cubes.
4. Cut the pancetta into strips and cook it until it is a bit crunchy and the fat melts away.
5. Preheat the oven to 450°.
6. Grease a baking sheet approximately 15 ” X 11″ with olive oil. I use a regular rectangular baking sheet, but if you want to use a round pan the equivalent should be about a 14″ pizza pan. Then flatten half the dough using your fingers or a rolling pin. It’ll be thin as an Italian pizza should be.
7. Mix the canned tomatoes with a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp. oil and spread them over the pizza crust.
8. Bake for about 15 min. and then add the pancetta, potatoes, cheeses and oregano. Bake for another 10 minutes or until done.

Notes:

Be careful with the salt since the pancetta is salty.

Ingredients:

Basic pizza dough

The following ingredients are for one pizza, or half the dough
recipe:
1 cup fresh Italian mozzarella cut in cubes
2 cups Italian canned plum tomatoes without juice
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium large red or white onion
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Slice the onion very thinly. Sauté the onion with 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a nonstick pan until translucent. Add a little bit of water if necessary. It takes about 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°.
3. Grease a baking sheet approximately 15 ” X 11″ with olive oil. I use a regular rectangular baking sheet, but if you want to use a round pan the equivalent should be about a 14″ pizza pan. Then flatten half the dough using your fingers or a rolling pin. It’ll be thin as an Italian pizza should be.
4. Spread the tomato mixture over the pizza crust and bake for about 15 minutes.
5. Add the mozzarella and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add the onions and bake for 5 more minutes.
7. Serve it hot. It’s also good when it’s cold.