Pizza Montanare Recipe

Pizza Montanare Recipe

Made with this "All Purpose" Pizza Dough recipe and this Tomato Sauce recipe. 

Fried pizza is a snack many of us have had at church fairs and carnivals. Unfortunately, it is often over-dusted with confectioners’ sugar or served with sauce and a bit of grated mystery cheese from that awful green can. Can we even call that Parmigiano Reggiano? Anyway, in Naples, this preparation is called Montanare. After the dough fries, a sauce dollop and a bit of fresh mozzarella or grated Parmigiano lay on top with a final adorning basil leaf. I like to pop them in the oven to melt the cheese and add some basil once they are out of the oven and ready to serve.  

 

Recipe by Anna Gass on INSTANT ITALIAN with Anna Gass.
Executive produced by Rachael Ray. A Free Food Studios production.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 All Purpose Dough
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed small
  • 10 small basil leaves
  • ½ cup neutral frying oil like grapeseed or sunflower

Directions

Once the dough is removed from the cling wrap, pinch off 3 to 4 ounce pieces. Reroll the pieces into balls, using a dusting of flour if needed.  Place the small doughs on a baking sheet and cover with a tea towel while you prepare the oil.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place each dough ball on a lightly floured surface and press out to a flat circle.


Heat oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees.  Place two dough into the hot oil and allow them to fry for 3 minutes, flip and cook for an additional three minutes.  Poke any bubbles that form with a fork to maintain a flat surface. 

 

Remove from the oil onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon three teaspoons of sauce in the middle of each dough and add ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese.

 

Place them in the oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Remove from the oven and add a basil leaf.  Serve immediately.