The best thing I ate this week was the panzerotti at Paffuto

The trio of chef-owners behind Paffuto, the Italian breakfast-lunch corner that replaced Bibou in Bella Vista, spent several months perfecting every detail of their “‘rotti.”

That’s shorthand in this kitchen for panzerotti (a.ka. “panz’”), the deep-fried pizza pockets that have long been a standby snack in South Jersey pizzerias. The hand-pinched versions at Paffuto, made fresh early each morning with a variety of fillings, have taken on a new life of their own in South Philadelphia. Aside from a menu spelling true to the Puglia original with a “ze” (instead of “panzarotti” for the frozen, factory-made variety commonly found in local pizzerias), partners Jake Loeffler, Sam Kalkut, and Daniel Griffiths — all veterans of local fine-dining spots such as Vernick Fish and Jean-Georges — went all-in on research to develop their dough from scratch. They experimented with different blends of flour and various levels of hydration and fermentation, aiming for the perfect pop and crisp when that cold turnover hits the oil, and a steady, even puff to avoid the dreaded empty cavity bubble.

There were no hollow misfires when I stopped by recently for my first Paffuto feast. The tight menu has several other appealing distractions, like cream-stuffed maritozzi, hoagies laden with chicken cutlets in vodka sauce, and a surprisingly wonderful wedge salad lavished with blue cheese dressing, currants, and tiny potato chips.

But the panzerotti stole the show, golden deep-fried crescents harboring a buttery richness and flaky crumble from the addition of semolina flour to the mix and a steady basting in the fryer to coax chicharrón-like bubbles to ripple across their exteriors.

Their next-level goodness, though, comes from the carefully layered flavors inside. Fresh mozzarella and house tomato sauce, strained overnight before stuffing to intensify flavors and reduce moisture content, are at the core of Paffuto’s lunch ‘rotti, with a vegan option as well as meaty specials, like the panzerotti stuffed with diced cubes of rendered pepperoni.

But for my favorite, you’ll have to get up early, because Paffuto’s breakfast ‘rotti rule. The eggy pillows, available weekdays from 8:30 to 11 a.m., are essentially mini-omelets tucked inside fried turnovers. It also took plenty of trial and error, of course, to figure out precisely how to lightly pre-scramble the eggs so they don’t overcook to rubber inside the fryer. Ours was moist and creamy with help from a generously melty helping of Cooper Sharp, a combo served daily, as well as a vegan option of scrambled tofu with Selfish Cow plant-based cheese.

I also lucked out and also got a taste of the weekend special, an egg and cheese version with the addition of smoky-sweet ham, which is usually available for the extended hours of Sunday brunch until 1:30 p.m. At the very least, a breakfast ‘rotti is a perfect excuse to indulge in the tangy fire of Paffuto’s excellent house-fermented Fresno chile hot sauce.

The ‘rotti is clearly Paffuto’s deep-fried canvas, and these chefs are just getting started. Next up on the research and development docket: a gluten-free version, though it’s still many weeks away.

“We’re trying to make these as accessible to as many people as possible,” Loeffler told me.

The panzerotti’s revival moment, it seems, has only begun.

Panzerottis, $10-$12, Paffuto, 1009 S. 8th St., (215) 282-7262; paffutophl.com