Panzerotti is a calzone and then it is also not a calzone. It is smaller than a closed pizza and somewhat softer. Pastry pockets are stuffed with magnanimous helpings of mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and often mushrooms, baby corn, onions and ham and then fried until golden brown. The result is an incredibly delicious snack that you could much on any time of the day. While it is gradually making its way into the menus across the United States (trust the Americans to gladly adopt every fried dish in the world), the good old panzerotti originated in the Bari province of Puglia in Italy.

The non-conformists have now come up with several variants of the quintessential rustic Italian snack. The most popular is the one stuffed with several spoons of Nutella and does taste heavenly. It is not the healthiest thing to put into your mouth but it is so good that even the best of people cannot help but turn greedy. I had innumerable helpings of this pie during my recent trip to Italy, although unlike the traditional fillings, the one with Nutella took my heart away. The weight gain was inevitable and I am still working to get rid of the extra pounds. Happy panzerotti-ing!