Mortadella Panuozzo
a recipe and other pizza girl musings...
Happy February 1st, Pizza Tourists!
It feels like summer here in Los Angeles, even though I know it’s freezing for many of you on the East Coast. But honestly, I’m a little jealous of your snowy weather. The Grass is greener, or so they say.
This past month I celebrated my birthday, went skiing in Aspen, made salad pizza with friends, and spent time negotiating contracts for upcoming Pizza Concierge events.
In today’s newsletter, I’m sharing a Mortadella Panuozzo recipe, recapping collaborations with friends, and what I’ve been reading and watching. Here’s a quote from Derry Girls that’s been resonating with me lately.
“So we have to be brave. And if our dreams get broken along the way. We have to make new ones from the pieces” - Derry Girls
MORTADELLA PANUOZZO
The panuozzo, often called a “pizza sandwich”, comes from Gragnano, a town between Naples and the Amalfi Coast. The panuozzo is often mistaken for a panini or calzone, but it’s its own thing: traditional Campanian street food made from pizza dough and stuffed while still hot.
Gragnano is also famous for dried pasta. In 1885, it became the first city in Campania to gain a direct rail connection to Naples, proof of its early importance in the pasta world! Next you’re shopping in an Italian deli, try to find some pasta from this region!
Super Bowl idea….
Not sure what to make? Make a panuozzo station. Heat up the oven and make some Panuozzo for your crew to build. Grab cold cuts, stracciatella, maybe some giardiniera. Make it classic. Make it American. No rules here at Pizza Tourist.
For a more classic recipe, see below.
RECIPE: Mortadella Panuozzo
INGREDIENTS:
150g pizza dough ball (for 1 sandwich)
Olive oil
Whipped ricotta (seasoned with salt + pepper) or stracciatella
Pistachio crumble
Mortadella
Lemon zest
Parmigiano Reggiano
Fennel pollen (optional)
INSTRUCTION:
Preheat your pizza oven, or place a stone in your home oven.
Stretch the dough thin, pressing out as much air as possible. No rim (no cornichone). Drizzle olive oil in a spiral across the center.
Fold dough in half to form a pocket. Bake until crisp and fully cooked, rotating so the corners brown evenly.
Carefully open the pocket. Fill with ricotta, pistachios, lemon zest, fennel pollen, and mortadella in loose folds.
Close, cut, or eat whole. Enjoy immediately.
MONTHLY DISCOVERIES:
I’m trying to build more muscle this year, and I’ve heard this supplement is especially helpful for women’s health.
It’s nice to balance social events with non-alocholic drinks. Here’s an NA beverage I’ve been trying.
This little black bowl with palo santo has been living in my bathroom and really makes me feel…elevated.
I’ve decided that one of my luxury splurges this year is going to be really good hand soap, at least for the bathroom. This one smells incredible.
Baloo and I have been trying to increase our step count and take longer walks. These are great earbuds that still let you hear what’s happening around you. I also just finished I Regret Almost Everything, and LOVED it.
SALAD PIZZA DETOX - JANUARY COLLABS
Last month, I teamed up with four pizza friends to kick off Salad Pizza Detox for January. Here are a few things we made.
Pizz-of-Art Avgolemono and mozzarella pizza topped with a Greek salad.
Aydan was inspired by the diner-style Greek salads that appeared on nearly every pizzeria menu in his hometown on Long Island. His New York–style dough is no joke. Crispy, chewy, and perfectly baked in a regular home oven!Outside Pizza Cheese and garlic pizza with a miso Caesar salad.
We cooked on their trailer in Denver and had a couple of beers at their brick-and-mortar spot. They got started by photographing pizzas on road trips to national parks. One thing led to another, and they built a custom camper and started making their own. Catch them in Denver if you can.Turks Pizza Party Four-cheese pizza with a Lawry’s-style salad.
David was nostalgic for Lawry’s Steak House in Los Angeles. The spinning bowl on ice, the dramatic dressing pour, and the tableside mix. LA has so many iconic spots like this that I would honestly visit just for the theater. We had some fun trying to recreate the salad.Gozney Tarte flambée with frisée salad.
I first tried Tarte Flambée in Champagne, France. I’ve been consulting on a new French restaurant about to open up in LA. One of their pizzas will be a Tarte Flambée with Crème Fraîche, bacon, and onions. As frisée is in season I thought it would pair nicely with a Champagne vinaigrette for this video.
PIZZA TOURIST THINGS I ATE IN JANUARY
I’m happy to report that I can still thoroughly enjoy bad pizza. Let me be clear, this pizza slice was good, but not great. BUT. There is something deeply satisfying about a mediocre slice on a hungover ski day.
I can be pretty judgmental when it comes to pizza, but sometimes pizza is still pizza. And I’m honestly still thinking about that slice… it really hit the mark in the moment.
We also tried the new Mt. Rubirosa in Aspen. It was a thin crispy pizza with their famous pesto tie dye swirl. Hot take – the Italian wedding soup was my favorite dish.
CULTURE VULTURE:
What I’m Reading:
How to Be a Stoic - by Massimo Pigliucci. I’m incorporating more stoicism into 2026. My personal motto for the year is: Don’t Be a Little Bitch. Basically, do everything in your power to set yourself up for success, and if it still doesn’t work out, don’t spiral. Learn. And move on. I’ve strangely been seeing this message in different places….like my run on the boardwalk the other day.
Not to be confused with Year of the Bitch, which I fully support. Being a BITCH, as my friend Amuse Bouche so perfectly puts it, is about confidence, boundaries, and knowing your worth. Michele’s newsletter is also a fantastic read to add to the list.
What I’m Watching:
Better Call Saul - Very fantastic classic watch (six seasons) now available on Netflix. It’s also strangely inspiring for small business owners. Ironically, two years ago around this time, we sat across the table from Bob Odenkirk at the Beef Steak dinner. He was lovely and we shared some steak.
Museum:
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens - We had a fantastic day there. It really feels like you are walking around a Hollywood movie set. The next day my parents’, husband, and I spent the whole day gardening in our yard. Talk about inspiration.
What I’m Eating:
Dim sum in San Gabriel Valley. This spot blew our minds. We had lunch and then took a long walk in Botanical gardens. Here my mom and I are digesting on the grass.
That’s all for now folks! Excited to develop some recipes for Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day —balanced with a little healthy (Salad Pizza Detox) goodness, of course.
One of our readers asked for more travel guides, so expect one coming soon.
As always, I’d love to hear your feedback. And if you’re thinking about hosting a pizza party, we work with some truly fabulous chefs. Email us anytime at wolfpack@lupacotta.com.
Thanks so much for reading. Happy Sunday.
Xx,
Ines
Pizza Tourist