Pizza Fritta (Neapolitan Fried Pizza Pockets)
Puffy golden pockets of fried dough stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella and salami, served with warm tomato sauce.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Pizza dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.54 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the ricotta, mozzarella, salami, parmesan and pepper in a bowl. Warm your ready made basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) in a small pan over a low heat.
- 2
Divide your ready made pizza dough (see the base recipe) into 6 equal pieces. Roll each on a surface dusted with semolina into a 16 cm circle.
- 3
Put a heaped spoon of filling on one half of each circle. Fold over and press the edges firmly to seal, crimping with a fork.
- 4
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 180 C, using a cooking thermometer. Never fill the pan more than one third full and never leave hot oil unattended.
- 5
Fry two pockets at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and puffed. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper.
3 min - 6
Check one pocket is steaming hot in the middle, then serve with the warm tomato sauce.
Tips
- Seal the edges well. Any filling touching the join will burst into the hot oil.
- Keep the oil at 180 C. Too cool and the dough soaks up oil, too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks.
- Use a thermometer and let the oil cool completely before moving or discarding it.
Storing and freezing
Eat straight away while crisp. Cool leftovers within 1 to 2 hours, keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a 200C oven for 10 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes. Brush with oil and bake at 220C for 15 to 18 minutes. You get a calzone, which is still good but less puffed and crisp than fried pizza.
Is pizza fritta the same as calzone?
They are close. A calzone is baked, while pizza fritta is fried in hot oil. Both are folded pizza pockets with soft, hot fillings.
Can I make them vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the salami and add 50 g of cooked spinach, squeezed dry. Check that the parmesan is vegetarian.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.