Discovering panuozzo: A taste of Italy beyond pizza

Panuozzo is a traditional Italian sandwich that originates from the Campania region. Its history dates back to when bakers began experimenting with pizza dough, creating long, crispy rolls from it. Panuozzo quickly became popular due to its simplicity and unique taste.

Panuozzo is not only delicious but also a healthy alternative to traditional sandwiches. Thanks to fresh ingredients and the ability to tailor toppings to your preferences, panuozzo can become a favourite dish for the entire family. Italian cuisine, known for its simplicity and quality ingredients, showcases itself best in panuozzo. The base of panuozzo is dough similar to that used for pizza. It is baked in a wood-fired oven, which gives it a distinctive taste and aroma. The ingredients of panuozzo most often include mozzarella, tomatoes, Parma ham, and fresh herbs. However, you can modify them according to your preferences, adding, for example, olives or artichokes.

You don't need special equipment to make a panuozzo sandwich, and you don’t need a professional pizza oven or stone to bake this specialty. To make the preparation of the yeast dough easier, you can use a stand mixer; however, it can also be managed by hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of type 00 flour,
• 1 1/4 cups of warm water,
• 2 teaspoons of salt,
• 1 teaspoon of yeast,
• olive oil.

Preparation method:

1. Mix the flour with water, salt, and yeast, and then knead the dough until it becomes smooth.
2. Set the dough aside to rise for about 2 hours.
3. Form the dough into long rolls and bake in a wood-fired oven or in an oven preheated to 230°C for about 10 minutes.
4. After baking, cut the rolls in half and fill with your favourite ingredients.