On winter days, when the cold is felt and families gather in the kitchen, Messinese Fried Pitoni emerge as a true delight of Sicilian tradition. These tasty morsels, made with a leavened dough enriched with lard, are perfect for a Sunday lunch or an aperitif with friends, where each bite reveals the savoriness of the anchovies and the freshness of the escarole. The frying technique, which gives these pitoni an irresistible crunch, combines with the softness of the dough, creating a contrast of textures that captivates at first taste. Using brewer's yeast is essential to ensure optimal leavening, while the balance between flour and lard allows for a perfect golden color. Served hot, accompanied by a good tea or a fresh white wine, Messinese Fried Pitoni represent not just a dish to savor, but a moment of sharing and tradition to be experienced with family, celebrating the richness of Sicilian cuisine.

In a saucepan, warm 200 g of water in which you will dissolve the salt and yeast, stirring until completely dissolved. On a work surface, pour the flour and shape it into a circular well where you will pour the prepared yeast. Knead until all the liquid is absorbed, then add the lard and continue kneading until everything is combined. The dough should remain soft and not stick to your hands. Adjust the mixture with warm water and flour, then wrap the dough in a cloth and let it rest while you cut the scamorza into cubes and chop the curly escarole into small pieces. Arrange the ingredients in suitable containers within reach, adding a container for salt and ground black pepper. Form 10 equal-sized dough balls without further kneading. Roll out one dough ball with a rolling pin until it is about 2/3 mm thick, then place a medium-sized plate upside down on top and cut out a circle with a knife, removing the excess dough. Place 3-4 pieces of anchovies, a tuft of curly escarole, the equivalent of 20 g of diced scamorza, a pinch of salt, and black pepper in the lower semicircle. Cover it to align the edges and press along the circumference with your fingers to seal the edges. Repeat this process for all remaining dough balls. Fry in plenty of hot seed oil until golden brown. Suggestions: For a perfect outcome of the recipe, it is essential to carefully follow the choice of ingredients and the preparation steps. Do not heat the water too much, as a temperature above 30/35 degrees destroys the yeast's ferments, making it practically ineffective. Before rolling out the dough, it is necessary to dust the work surface with flour to prevent the pitone from sticking. During the preparation of the pitone, it is important to arrange the ingredients without spilling oil or flour on the edges that will be overlapped to allow for a perfect seal for a successful pitone. Immerse the pitone in oil at least 5 minutes after preparation to allow the seal to set. The pitone should float in the oil during frying; therefore, if you do not have a fryer, you can achieve excellent results using a high-sided aluminum saucepan in which you should pour enough seed oil to make the pitoni float (about 2 liters). Place the fried pitoni horizontally on absorbent paper to evenly distribute the internal filling and absorb excess oil.