
Picture an Italian sandwich, but instead of regular bread, it’s on a warm fresh pizza dough from the pizza oven folded over into a sandwich. I am not Italian, so I can’t tell you how authentic my version of this panuozzo pizza sandwich is. But I can tell you it is delicious, and my family requests this sandwich often. One thing I would do differently is to ask the deli to slice the mortadella paper-thin.
You can put anything on this pizza sandwich, but I selected mortadella, burrata cheese, arugula, and pistachios. I believe that the bread makes or breaks any sandwich, so this fresh pizza dough bread is right up my alley. Make sure you serve this sandwich fresh out of the oven so the crust is warm and crispy.

Panuozzo Ingredients
- 1 Small Pizza Dough
- 5 ounces Sliced Mortadella Deli Meat
- 2 ounces of Burrata Cheese (1/2 of a 4oz ball)
- 1/2 cup Arugula
- 1 tbsp Pistachios
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
- Dash of Salt
- Dash of Pepper
Equipment Needed
- Pizza Oven or pizza stone in your oven (I used my Green Mountain Grill Pizza Oven)
- Pizza peel
- Pastry brush for olive oil

How to Make Panuozzo
Before starting, ensure your pizza stone is properly heated. The key to great panuozzo is getting that initial blast of heat that creates a perfectly crispy exterior while maintaining a tender interior. I like to have the stone between 450ºF – 500ºF.
Shape the Dough
- Start with room-temperature pizza dough
- Press outward from the center to form a 14-inch round
- Keep the thickness even – about ¼ inch throughout
- Brush the entire surface with olive oil

Fold and Transfer
- Carefully fold the dough in half
- Brush the top with olive oil
- Sprinkle cornmeal on your pizza peel
- Transfer the folded dough onto the peel



Pizza Sandwich Tip
The olive oil between the folded dough is crucial – it prevents the layers from fusing together, while the olive oil on the top creates a beautiful golden crust. Don’t forget the olive oil.
Bake the Panuozzo Bread in the Pizza Oven
- Slide the dough onto the preheated stone (450°F)
- Cook for 3 minutes
- Rotate the bread for even cooking
- Cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the outside is golden brown

Expert Tips
The secret to an exceptional panuozzo lies in temperature control. Unlike regular pizza, you’re aiming for a slightly lower temperature (450°F instead of the higher temperatures for Neapolitan pizza) to ensure the thicker folded dough cooks through without burning. I learned this through trial and error – too hot, and the outside burns before the middle cooks; too cool, and you lose that crucial crust development.

Build Your Panuozzo Pizza Sandwich
- Let bread cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Open carefully – watch for steam!
- Layer the thinly sliced mortadella on the bottom.
- Add torn pieces of the burrata cheese.
- Top with fresh arugula.
- Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
- Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Finish with sea salt and fresh pepper.



Recipe Variations
- Use fresh mozzarella or provolone cheese instead of burrata
- Add sliced tomatoes
- Add fresh basil
- Use other types of lettuce instead of Arugula

Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a panuozzo without a pizza oven? Yes! While a pizza oven provides optimal results, you can achieve great results with a regular oven and pizza stone preheated to 450°F. The cooking time might need to be extended by 2-3 minutes.
Can I prepare the dough in advance? The dough can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and kept refrigerated. However, the final sandwich should be assembled and eaten immediately after the bread is cooked for the best texture and temperature contrast.
Why is my panuozzo not getting crispy? The most common issue is insufficient preheating of your stone. Always preheat the pizza oven or stone to ensure proper heat retention. Also, make sure you coat the top of the bread with olive oil or butter to help it get golden brown and crispy.
Storage and Reheating
Panuozzo is best enjoyed immediately after preparation. While you can store the bread portion for up to 24 hours in an airtight container, the texture will suffer significantly. If you must reheat, warm the bread portion in a 350°F oven for a few minutes before adding fresh toppings.
Serving Size
This recipe makes one large panuozzo that serves 2 people. For 4 people, double the ingredients and make two panuozzi, cooking them one at a time to ensure proper heat distribution.
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Panuozzo – Pizza Sandwich
Equipment
- Pizza oven or pizza stone in your oven (I used my Green Mountain Grill Pizza Oven)
- Pizza Peel
- Pastry brush for olive oil
Ingredients
- 1 14 inch Pizza Dough
- 5 ounces Sliced Mortadella Deli Meat (Thinly sliced)
- 2 ounces Burrata Cheese (I used 1/2 of a 4oz ball)
- 1/2 cup Arugula
- 1 tbsp Pistachios
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
- Dash Salt
- Dash Pepper
Instructions
How to Make Panuozzo
- Before starting, ensure your pizza stone is properly heated. The key to great panuozzo is getting that initial blast of heat that creates a perfectly crispy exterior while maintaining a tender interior. I like to have the stone between 450ºF – 500ºF.
- Shape the Dough. Start with room temperature pizza dough. Press outward from the center to form a 14-inch round. Keep the thickness even – about ¼ inch throughout. Brush entire surface with olive oil. The olive oil between the folded dough is crucial – it prevents the layers from fusing together, while the olive oil on the top creates a beautiful golden crust. Don't forget the olive oil.
- Fold and Transfer. Carefully fold the dough in half. Brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle cornmeal on your pizza peel. Transfer the folded dough onto the pizza oven stone.
- Bake the Panuozzo Bread in the Pizza Oven. Slide the dough onto the preheated stone (450°F). Cook for 3 minutes. Rotate the bread for even cooking. Cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the outside is golden brown
- Build Your Panuozzo Pizza Sandwich. Let bread cool for 2-3 minutes. Open carefully – watch for steam!
- Layer the thinly sliced mortadella on the bottom.
- Add torn pieces of the burrata cheese. Top with fresh arugula. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Finish with sea salt and fresh pepper.
- Cut and serve while the bread is hot and crispy.