Il Capo Panuozzo Recipe

Preheat

Preheat your oven to its highest temperature (250–290°C / 475–550°F) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside for at least 30 minutes. If you have a pizza oven or grill, prepare it to a high, even heat.

Lightly dust a work surface with the all-purpose flour. If using store-bought dough, take it from the fridge 30–45 minutes prior to shaping so it relaxes. If using homemade dough, use a ball about 300–350 g (single serving panuozzo).

Gently stretch or roll the dough into an oval roughly 8–10 inches long and 6–7 inches wide and about 3–5 mm thick, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Brush the interior surface lightly with 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, leaving the outer rim mostly un-oiled to help sealing.

Fold the dough over lengthwise to create a sandwich pocket (like a folded flatbread). Pinch and seal the long edge and ends firmly so filling will remain inside; leave a small opening if you prefer to add hot toppings after baking. If sealing fully, double-seal the seams by folding them under slightly.

If you prefer warm capocollo slightly heated: arrange the sealed panuozzo seam-side down on a sheet of parchment. Place in the preheated oven (on the stone or sheet) and bake 6–8 minutes until the dough is puffed and lightly golden. For a more crisped exterior, turn once and bake an additional 2–4 minutes. Remove from oven. (If you want a very short bake before filling to keep stracciatella fresh, bake 5–6 minutes.)

Open the small seam or cut the panuozzo across the top to create a pocket (be careful, it will be hot). Layer the capocollo slices inside first, arranging them so they slightly overlap and cover the interior. If you did not preheat the capocollo, you can briefly place the slices inside a warm panuozzo to warm gently from residual heat.

Spoon the stracciatella evenly over the capocollo, distributing the creamy curds so each bite will have cheese. Use about 150 g; if you have a burrata, tear it and place the creamy center inside and reserve the shell for another use.

Toss the arugula with the juice of half a lemon and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of sea salt and the cracked black pepper. Add just enough lemon to brighten the leaves without wilting them fully—about 1/2 a lemon should suffice for 2 cups arugula.

Pile the dressed arugula on top of the stracciatella so it sits within the pocket. Lightly drizzle the truffle oil (about 1 tsp) over the cheese and arugula; truffle oil is potent so use sparingly. If using optional Parmigiano-Reggiano or chili flakes, sprinkle now to taste (about 1 tbs cheese, 1/8 tsp chili).

Close the panuozzo gently (if you left it open) so the filling stays inside. Let it rest 1–2 minutes to allow the warm bread to meld with the filling but not so long that the cheese melts completely and becomes runny.

Slice the panuozzo in half or into two wedges with a sharp serrated knife. Serve immediately while the bread is warm and the stracciatella is creamy and cool against the warm interior.

Optional: finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil or a very light additional sprinkle of flaked sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Serve with extra lemon on the side if diners want more brightness.