Name: Onion panzerotti
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 20 slippers
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 1 kg ofred onions; 200 g ofgreen olives (pitted); 200 g ofsun-dried tomatoes (Homemade is even better!); 1 branch ofcelery; 4 anchovy fillets (in oil); 50 g ofcapers (in brine); 2 pods ofgarlic; 2 leaves ofbay leaf; salt, pepper; 250 g ofwheat flour (T60, i.e., white); 250 g ofrice flour (If you don't have any, substitute all-purpose flour.); 1 bag ofbaking powder (or baking powder); 30 cl ofwater; 2 tbsp ofolive oil; 1/2 tsp ofEspelette pepper (Amount for a mildly spicy dish; adjust to taste); 1 pastry brush; 1 roll ofparchment paper

main courses prepared in advance turnovers and pastries

Updated on 23 November 2025 by

toquetoque

6 reviews 4.8 : Very good

Cuisine

Italy

Level

Intermediate

Preparation

1 hour

Cooking

30 minutes

Wait

1 hour

Here is my original and delicious recipe for onion panzerotti. Panzerotti are small Italian pastries made from pizza dough and traditionally filled with tomato and mozzarella. They are then folded and fried until they develop a golden, crispy crust. Originally from Puglia, they are now available with a variety of fillings and can be enjoyed as a gourmet snack or a hearty meal.

This recipe is based on the one from Alain Ducasse’s book, but with a few variations, adjustments, and refinements. These stuffed pastries are reminiscent of Argentine empanadas, but the sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, and capers give them a distinctly Mediterranean flavor.

For

slippers

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For the filling
1 kg of red onions
200 g of green olives pitted
200 g of sun-dried tomatoes Homemade is even better!
1 branch of celery
4 anchovy fillets in oil
50 g of capers in brine
2 pods of garlic
2 leaves of bay leaf
salt, pepper

For the dough
250 g of wheat flour T60, i.e., white
250 g of rice flour If you don't have any, substitute all-purpose flour.
1 bag of baking powder or baking powder
30 cl of water
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 tsp of Espelette pepper Amount for a mildly spicy dish; adjust to taste

Accessories
1 pastry brush
1 roll of parchment paper

Preparing the dough
- 1
  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours with the baking powder and a pinch of salt using a spatula. Gradually add the water and olive oil, stirring constantly. Then
  knead the dough with both hands for one or two minutes, and shape it into a ball. Lightly dust with flour and let rest at room temperature under a damp cloth for at least 30 minutes.
Preparing the stuffing
- 2
  Soak the raisins in a bowl of warm water.
- 3
  Mash the anchovies with a fork and set aside in the refrigerator.
- 4
  Peel the onions and slice them into rings.
- 5
  Wash the celery stalk, trim it, and slice it into rounds.
- 6
  Drain the green olives, rinse the capers, peel the garlic, remove the sun-dried tomatoes from their oil, and finely chop everything.
- 7
  Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a Dutch oven or wok, then add the onions and celery.
  Sauté them over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently and without letting them brown, until they are slightly softened.
- 8
  Add the remaining ingredients for the stuffing, including the anchovies and the bay leaf. Season with pepper and sprinkle with Espelette pepper to taste (feel free to taste as you go).
  Let it simmer, covered, over low heat for 5–6 minutes.
Preparing the turnovers
- 9
  Sprinkle a little flour on a clean work surface, and roll out the dough roughly using a lightly floured rolling pin. Then fold it into quarters and shape it into a ball again to soften it.
  Take one-quarter of the ball and roll it out into a fairly thin (about 3 mm) oblong shape.
- 10
  Using a cookie cutter or a bowl, cut out circles of at least 13 cm from the dough.
  If the circles are smaller, you’ll have trouble filling the pastries. As a general guideline, this size yields the recommended number of servings. Repeat the process until all the dough is used up.
- 11
  Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the rack from the oven and line it with a sheet of parchment paper.
- 12
  Place a tbsp of filling on the bottom half of each turnover, moisten the edge of the dough circle with a brush, and fold the dough over, pressing the edges together lightly with a fork to create a decorative pattern.
  Don’t use too much water, and be sure to stick to the edges—otherwise your dough will become brittle and tear!
- 13
  Gently place each prepared pastry on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and brush them with olive oil using a pastry brush.
  Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- 14
  Once they're done baking, let them cool for 20 minutes, then serve them warm or cold.