Is there anything that you can’t find in Brooklyn? Think of any cuisine or specialty and chances are you’ll find it somewhere in NYC’s most populated borough. A decent chance you may even find it on Smith St, one of Brooklyn’s most interesting food corners. It feels like I’m mentioning Smith St on a monthly basis these days. I dont live anywhere near, but I’m finding myself gravitating toward it more and more. I was there twice last weekend.
Panzerotti is the guilt free mini Calzone you didnt know you always wanted. Its an airy, half moon shape stuffed dough, the size of a large empanada. You need at least two for a full meal, but one can be enough for a light one or a decent snack for some. While it’s not exactly a steal at $8-10 a pop or more for more elaborate fillings, a full meal will cost you pretty much the same as Neapolitan pizza.
Panzerotti Bites is the creation of Vittoria Lattanzio and Pasquale De Ruvo who wanted to introduce New Yorkers to the flavors of Puglia, or Bari to be more specific. In my lone visit to Bari, I was too busy schmoozing with the Orecchiette nonnas to even notice any street food. Although in my two weeks in Puglia, I didnt get a sense that street food was as prevalent as in other regions. But the food overall was varied and spectacular.
This is the kind of item you want to include on a nice day of snacking in North Brooklyn. On one of the visits, I combined it with the excellent soup dumplings at Nan Xiang Express in the Downtown area, while on another, tacos from El Bronco food truck (that Suadero!) in Sunset Park. That’s not to say, you can’t have a nice complete meal, especially at the inviting backyard of Panzerotti Bites.
The mural in the backyard alone is worth spending a bit of time there, learning Italian and some things about Puglia. It was sketched by the owners, and created by a talented friend. A healthy variety of Italian sodas (Just like beer, best in the business) helps. Try the alcohol free Bellini. Once you finished, stay some more for a sweet Panzerotto.
You can have it fried or baked. After trying both, I still dont know my preference. They fry them in clean, quality oil, so its not greasy whatsoever. With the pockets coming in straight from the oven or fryer, its advised to wait a little before diving in. I dare you to wait 30 seconds. After trying the Salame, Mortadella, a special of sausage and peppers, my favorite is still the first Panzerotto I tried. Mozzarella, Porcini mushrooms with black truffle paste. Superb!
The welcoming couple is the icing on the cake. They will take the time to guide you, and talk about Puglia like people talk about their newborn. They also packaged the Panzerotti (10 pieces per). They can ship them, or you can just pick up the Classic, Salame packages from their freezer. Worth crossing a bridge or tunnel for this one. Go!
Panzerotti Bites
235 Smith St (Cobble Hill)
Eating With Ziggy 