Fried pizza with vitello tonnato by Lorenzo Manosperti

Ingredients

• 300 gtype 0 plain flour
• 200 gManitoba flour, or use plain flour if unavailable
• 5 g fresh yeast or 2 g dried yeastyeast
• 1 tspcaster sugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 300 ml, adjusting for absorptionlukewarm water
• As neededpeanut oil for frying
• 600 gveal silverside
• 1carrot
• 1 stalkcelery
• 1onion
• 1bay leaf
• 1 sprigrosemary
• 3black peppercorns
• To tastecoarse salt
• 150 g, drainedtuna in oil
• 2eggs for mayonnaise
• 200 ml seed oil or 180 g ready-made mayonnaiseseed oil or mayonnaise
• 6–8desalted capers
• 2anchovy fillets
• Juice of ½lemon
• As needed, optionalcooking broth to loosen the sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water in a large bowl. Gradually add both flours, mixing with a wooden spoon or by hand.

2. 2

   Knead and rise

   Once the dough begins to come together, add the salt and olive oil. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and soft, then cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for about 1½ hours, until doubled in size.

3. 3

   Divide the dough

   Divide the risen dough into eight equal balls and leave them to rise for another hour.

4. 4

   Cook the veal

   Put the veal in a large pot with cold water, the carrot, celery, halved onion, bay leaf, rosemary, peppercorns and a pinch of coarse salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour 15 minutes, skimming as needed. When cooked, let the meat cool in its broth to help it stay tender and juicy.

5. 5

   Make the mayonnaise

   If making mayonnaise from eggs, emulsify the eggs with the oil and a pinch of salt, then stir in the lemon juice.

6. 6

   Blend the sauce

   Blend the tuna with the capers, anchovies and one or two spoonfuls of cold broth until smooth. Gently fold in the mayonnaise a little at a time.

7. 7

   Slice the veal

   Once the veal is cold, slice it thinly using a sharp knife or a slicer.

8. 8

   Shape the pizzas

   Use your hands to flatten the dough balls into discs about 10–15 cm in diameter.

9. 9

   Fry until golden

   Heat a generous amount of peanut oil in a deep pan to 180°C. Fry the pizzas a few at a time until golden and puffed, then drain them on paper towels.

10. 10

    Fill and serve

    Fill the fried pizzas with slices of veal, tuna sauce and some fresh salad with cherry tomatoes.

What is vitello tonnato?

Vitello tonnato is an Italian dish of sliced veal served with a smooth tuna-based sauce. This version turns those familiar flavours into a filled fried pizza, pairing the rich sauce and meat with fresh salad and cherry tomatoes.

The combination works because the pillowy, crisp dough contrasts with tender veal and creamy sauce. The salad brings a fresher note to the filling.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 3700 calories, 240g protein, 380g carbs, 145g fat.

The flour supplies most of the carbohydrates, while the veal and tuna provide much of the protein. The mayonnaise, frying oil and olive oil contribute most of the fat; the amounts actually absorbed during frying will affect the final total. For a more balanced plate, serve the pizza with extra fresh salad and tomatoes.

A soft dough with two flours

Flour blend: the recipe combines type 0 plain flour and Manitoba flour; plain flour can stand in for the Manitoba flour if needed. The water amount may need adjusting to suit how much the flour absorbs.

Two rises: the dough rests first as one mass, then again after it is divided into eight balls. Allowing both rests gives it time to expand before shaping and frying.

Keep the veal tender

Gentle simmer: bring the pot to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer the veal for about 1 hour 15 minutes, skimming as needed. The recipe also suggests topside as an alternative to silverside.

Cooling broth: leave the cooked meat to cool in its cooking liquid. Slice it thinly once cold, using a sharp knife or slicer.

Blend a smooth tuna sauce

Tuna base: blend the drained tuna with desalted capers, anchovies and a spoon or two of cold broth until smooth. Add more broth only as needed to loosen the sauce.

Mayonnaise: make it from the eggs and seed oil, then add lemon juice, or use the stated quantity of ready-made mayonnaise. Fold it into the tuna mixture gradually rather than blending it in all at once.

Shape and fry the dough

Even discs: flatten each dough ball by hand into a disc about 10–15 cm across. Keeping the discs similar in size helps them fry at a similar pace.

Hot oil: bring the peanut oil to 180°C and fry only a few pizzas at a time, as the method directs. Drain each batch on paper towels once the pizzas are golden and puffed.

Serve with fresh contrast

Filling: add the veal slices and tuna sauce to the fried pizzas, then finish with fresh salad and cherry tomatoes. Add the filling after frying so the pizza stays crisp.

At the table: serve soon after filling, while the dough is still warm and the fresh ingredients remain distinct from the rich sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use lukewarm rather than hot water when dissolving the yeast.
• Adjust the water to the dough as you add the flour, since the recipe notes that absorption can vary.
• Let the veal cool fully in its broth before slicing it thinly.
• Add the mayonnaise to the tuna mixture gradually to control the sauce's consistency.
• Fry the pizzas a few at a time, as specified, and drain them on paper towels.
• Fill the pizzas just before serving to preserve the crisp dough.

Variations

• Use topside: substitute topside for the silverside as suggested in the method.
• Use plain flour: replace the Manitoba flour with plain flour if you do not have it.
• Choose ready-made mayonnaise: use 180 g in place of making mayonnaise from eggs and seed oil.
• Loosen the sauce: add a little cold cooking broth if the tuna mixture needs thinning.
• Adjust the garnish: vary the amount of fresh salad and cherry tomatoes in the filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the rises: give the dough both rises so it has time to expand before frying.
• Boiling the veal hard: lower the heat after it boils and let it simmer gently for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Slicing warm meat: let the veal cool in its broth before cutting it thinly.
• Adding mayonnaise all at once: fold it into the blended tuna mixture a little at a time.
• Frying at the wrong temperature: bring the peanut oil to 180°C before frying.
• Filling too early: add the veal, sauce and salad after frying so the dough does not sit filled.

How to store

Store the cooked veal and tuna sauce separately in covered containers in the fridge and use within 2 days. For best texture, fry and fill the pizzas just before serving; reheat unfilled fried dough briefly in a hot oven until warmed through.

Frequently asked questions