Do you love calzones? I do! I was so surprised to find out that they are easy to make. By the time you have read this post, you will know just how to make a calzone, too.
I tasted my first calzone when I was working for a non profit organization. Everyone in the office was placing takeout orders from the local pizza parlor and someone asked if I’d like to split a calzone. “Sure!” I said. “What’s a calzone?” I found out that it was an outside-in pizza that looked like a great big pierogi with sauce on the side. Delicious! It soon became my lunchtime favorite.
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Just recently I made my first homemade pizza. The pizza dough was so simple to make that a couple of days later I decided to make calzones.
The trick to success was in how you handle the dough. It is not hard to do but it helps to see it done. I took a couple of photos (below) to show you and grabbed a video that will make it so easy for you to do. Let’s start with the recipe:
Do you love Italian food? How about calzones? They are so easy to make! #calzone #recipes Share on X
How To Make A Calzone – Easy Recipe
Ingredients
Pre-made uncooked pizza dough
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of each “pizza topping” filling unless only using one*
1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
Pinch of cornmeal
Pizza sauce for dipping
*If there is only topping use 1 to 1 1/2 cups per calzone.
Filling suggestions: pepperoni, precooked crumbled Italian sausage, diced ham, precooked bacon, black olives, green peppers, fresh spinach, onion or mushrooms to name a few.
I really needed to see how this was done so I watched a great YouTube video – several times. OK, I watched it over and OVER again-stopping and starting it as I went along. Chef John makes it so easy to follow.
Here it is:
Here it is:
Video: How To Make A Calzone
-If you are reading this by email, click on the title of the post to come to my site to see the video.-
Of course, I made our calzones to suit our particular tastes. I made one for my hubby with pepperoni, pre-fried Italian sausage, ham and mushrooms. Mine included spinach, black olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, ham and a tiny bit of onion. We both agreed that, though we like ricotta, a little less ricotta is best for us. 1/3 cup was plenty.
The pizza dough recipe I used is the same one I used to make the Minions Pizza. (Yes, I made a pizza shaped like a minion!) If you aren’t in the mood to make your own dough, though, you can buy pre-made dough at your local supermarket and it will work just fine.
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°
Cut pizza dough into pieces the size of a softball and roll them in your hands like a big meatball.
Flour the counter top lightly.
Roll the pizza dough with a rolling pin, keeping the shape circular.
Press the dough outward till the dough is about 1/2″ thick.
Spread the ricotta cheese over the middle, leaving the edges uncovered.
Layer the toppings ending with the mozzarella cheese.
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| Fold over the dough to make a half moon shape and start sealing the edge. You may want to dampen your fingers with water to seal it smoothly. |
Work your way from one edge to the other, rolling the dough over with your fingers to seal it closed.
Cut three 1-inch slits in the top for ventilation.
Sprinkle a little bit of dry cornmeal on an ungreased cookie sheet (I used my Airbake cookie sheet.)
Move the calzones to the cookie sheet with a steady move.
Brush the tops with beaten egg.
Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or till golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
Serve with hot pizza sauce on the side.
Believe it or not, there actually are calzone molds to do the sealing for you! They think of everything, don’t they.
Have you ever had a calzone?
What are your favorite fillings?
Enjoy!
