Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the yeast mixture, and mix everything together. Add the lard and, a little at a time, the water and a pinch of salt, mixing with a fork until combined.

Let the dough rise for 30 minutes. Once the dough is ready, use a spoon to divide it into 16 balls and let them rise for another 30 minutes.

Roll each ball out with a rolling pin into a sheet about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut out discs from each ball and brush the edges with the beaten egg.

For the filling, blanch the artichoke stems and season with a pinch of salt. Add the ricotta and scamorza cheese, then place the filling in the center of each disc. Fold each disc into a half-moon shape and seal the edges well with a fork.

Fry the panzerotti in plenty of hot vegetable oil, covered, until golden brown on both sides.