Simple Calzone Recipe – A Lovely Mess

Whereas I like home made pizza, I’m additionally a giant fan of pizza’s modest cousin, the calzone. And whereas I’m all for a home made calzone recipe (from scratch), this submit is extra about methods to make straightforward calzone utilizing various kinds of crust mixes or store-bought dough.

Calzone is totally different from stromboli in two methods. Stromboli is rolled, like a pizza cinnamon roll, whereas a calzone solely has a prime and backside layer. If a calzone is a pressed sandwich, stromboli is a pinwheel burrito. I additionally consider calzone like a pizza pocket (or my childhood favourite: Sizzling Pocket).

The second distinction is calzone is normally made with ricotta cheese (or a mixture of cheese together with ricotta). This provides moisture to the calzone.

Associated: Detroit-Type Pizza, Deep Dish Pizza Recipe, Tomato Sauce, Pizza Sauce.

What’s a Calzone?

Calzone = Dough + Sauce + Cheese + Fillings

The components in a calzone recipe are dough, pizza sauce, cheese and fillings, reminiscent of pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, and another greens or protein you favor. You may as well make a cheese calzone with out another fillings.

One other key to nice calzone is it’s best to serve it alongside dipping sauce—ideally marinara. No matter purple sauce you utilize contained in the calzone may be served for dipping, so that you don’t crucial must make or purchase two totally different sauces except you wish to.

From Scratch Dough Choices

For a simple calzone recipe, use one of many store-bought choices beneath. However, in case you are seeking to make calzone from scratch, listed here are few pizza dough recipes that may work properly:

Different pizza dough recipes can work, however keep away from something that’s tremendous skinny or crispy. These won’t bake as properly. It’s finest to stay to a pizza dough recipe that accommodates yeast, though there are some exceptions.

Retailer-Purchased Calzone Dough Choices

• Frozen dough for bread loaves – That is my favourite store-bought choice. Every loaf will make three calzones, so this complete bundle you see above would make 9 calzones if I used it abruptly. You will want to thaw and roll this dough out with a rolling pin.
• Refrigerated pizza dough (like Pillsbury) – I additionally like this selection as a result of it really works properly and is simple to form into quite a few totally different calzones, relying on the dimensions.
• Dry pizza crust combine (like Jiffy) – Though it will work and is probably the most shelf-stable choice, it may make your calzone crust type of skinny and dry.

That is the frozen bread dough earlier than rolling it out. No matter dough you utilize, ensure to roll it out to a desired thickness earlier than baking.

If you happen to depart the dough tremendous thick (greater than 1/2 an inch), it could be type of doughy on the within whereas totally baked to burning on the surface. Alter the bake time as wanted relying on what dough recipe you utilize.

Calzone Fillings

• Sauce – I like purple sauce. You received’t want a lot for the within of every calzone—only a couple spoonfuls on the most. However you want some on the facet for dipping. You may make calzone with different sauces like Alfredo or different pasta sauces or BBQ sauce. Any sauce you want on pizza you’ll in all probability like in a calzone.
• Cheese – I normally use a mix of ricotta cheese and shredded mozzarella. The ricotta cheese provides moisture to the within of the calzone so it doesn’t dry out in baking. That being stated, if you wish to skip the ricotta, the perfect substitution is recent mozzarella, which has larger moisture.
• Toppings – Pizza toppings can grow to be fillings for calzone. My household likes pepperoni, and if I’ve some recent basil, I’ll normally add that too. If you wish to use greens, it’s possible you’ll wish to contemplate cooking them barely first, like sautéing bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms. However that is private choice and simply is dependent upon what sort of textures you favor.

Instructions

Roll out the dough. For this bake time I’m recommending right here, the dough must be roughly 8-10 inches in diameter and 1/2 an inch thick or much less.

Add a spoonful or two of sauce and unfold roughly evenly towards the perimeters, leaving somewhat edge throughout. Put every calzone on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

On half of the calzone add 2-3 tablespoons ricotta cheese, crumbled. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese. Then add a handful of any toppings you want.

Fold the dough over on itself, making an empanada form (half moon). I like to make use of a fork to press the perimeters collectively, however you can even roll them up. This can rely in your dough.

Non-compulsory: Brush the tops with an egg wash earlier than baking. This can create a golden brown shade.

As soon as baked, serve alongside with dipping sauce. If you wish to really feel wholesome, possibly add a salad. You do you. Take pleasure in! -Emma

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