'O pagnottiello! (Panini napoletani)

Una delle mie foodblogger preferite è Antonietta Polcaro. Be’, ne sono un po’ di parte, perché Antonietta ha vissuto gran parte della sua vita a Montefalcione, paese dei miei antenati. Ogni tanto fa la sua comparsa in cucina il cognato Angelo (che vive ancora a Montefalcione). Spesso propongono ricette che erano molto conosciute ai miei nonni, bisnonni, trisnonni ... La ricetta che oggi ha attirato la mia attenzione non è irpina ma napoletana. (Napoli è solo un’ora a ovest di Avellino.) Il panino napoletano – altrimenti noto come ’o pagnottiello – è una delle glorie della cucina napoletana: cibo inventato dalla gente comune che non poteva permettersi di buttare nulla via. Non è forse vero che i piatti più grandi e “di alta classe” di oggi sono quelli inventati dai nostri poveri antenati analfabeti?

One of my favorite foodbloggers is Antonietta Polcaro. Of course, I am a little biased, because Antonietta has lived most of her life in Montefalcione, the town of my ancestors. Every so often, her brother-in-law Angelo (who still lives in Montefalcione) makes an appearance in the kitchen. Often they offer recipes that were well-known to my grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents ... The recipe that grabbed my attention today was not Avellinese but Neapolitan. (Naples is only an hour west of Avellino.) The panino napoletano – otherwise known as ’o pagnottiello – is one of the glories of Neapolitan cuisine: food invented by the common folk who could not afford to throw anything away. Is it not true that the greatest and most “high-class” dishes of today are the ones invented by our impoverished, illiterate ancestors?

’O Pagnottiello (Panini Napoletani)

Neapolitan sandwiches

Ricetta dal blog Il mondo di Antonietta Polcaro, tradotta in inglese da Leonardo Ciampa.

Recipe from the blog Il mondo di Antonietta Polcaro, translated into English by Leonardo Ciampa.

Per l’originale in italiano, cliccate qua.

This recipe is very similar to the casatiello: a dough, similar to pizza dough, stuffed with all the good things. The Neapolitan sandwich, in large or small format, can be served for various different types of occasions.

The recipe is not mine. The story of how I came into possession of it I tell in the video.

It is an excellent dough: double rising, very little yeast, spread without a rolling pin, baked at a very high temperature.

Pasquale, my virtual friend, makes pizzas and more. He knows what he’s doing! He sent me several photos of his recipes.

In the dough of the sandwiches he advised me not to replace the oil with lard. I agreed: in this way the recipe is even more “summery” [i.e. “lighter”].

In this regard, I did some research and read that lard can be used in the dough, as well as in the casatiello dough. However, the amount of yeast must be increased significantly.

Ingredients for approx. 20-24 sandwiches:
For the dough:
1 kg flour*
500-520 ml of water [i.e., half a litre, or somewhat more]
5 g fresh yeast**
25 g salt
50 g extra-virgin olive oil

For the filling:
400 g cold cuts
(e.g., prosciutto, salame napoletano, pancetta)
500 g mixed cheeses
(e.g., regular or smoked scamorza, mild provolone)
100 g pecorino and grated parmigiano
pepper
hard boiled eggs, cut into small pieces

* You can use stronger 00 flour, 0 flour, or if you want, also type 1 or 2 flour (but you’d have to increase the ratio of water a little).

** Instead of fresh yeast, you can use 2 g of dry yeast. Or you can use 200 g of sourdough starter [a.k.a. “mother”].

The coldcuts for the filling are just a suggestion. You can use whatever charcuterie you like best.

Preparation:
Work the dough until it becomes smooth and homogeneous.

In a planetary mixer, put all the flour in the bowl and add more than half of the water in which you have already have dissolved the yeast. Knead a little with the hook. Then add the rest of the water in which you have already dissolved the salt. Knead until the gluten network is firm, then add the oil gradually.

Divide the dough into two loaves of equal weight (so it will be easier to roll out without a rolling pin). Let rise in lightly greased bowls until doubled in volume (about 3 hours).

Roll out each piece into a rectangle, possibly without using a rolling pin. Top with the filling, roll up loosely. Cut sandwiches of approx. 7 cm in width. Lay them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour.

Preheat a very hot oven (250° C [480° F]), preferably ventilated. Brush the top of the sandwiches with egg yolk. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Foto: www.antoniettapolcaro.it