Simple Calzone Recipe – A Stunning Mess

Whereas I really like selfmade pizza, I’m additionally a giant fan of pizza’s modest cousin, the calzone. And whereas I’m all for a selfmade calzone recipe (from scratch), this publish is extra about methods to make simple 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 high 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-Fashion 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, akin to pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, and every other greens or protein you like. You can too make a cheese calzone with out every other fillings.

One other key to nice calzone is you must serve it alongside dipping sauce—ideally marinara. No matter pink sauce you employ contained in the calzone might be served for dipping, so that you don’t needed should 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, if you’re trying 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 is not going to bake as properly. It’s greatest 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 possibility. Every loaf will make three calzones, so this whole bundle you see above would make 9 calzones if I used it suddenly. You will have to thaw and roll this dough out with a rolling pin.
• Refrigerated pizza dough (like Pillsbury) – I additionally like this feature as a result of it really works properly and is straightforward to form into numerous totally different calzones, relying on the dimensions.
• Dry pizza crust combine (like Jiffy) – Though this can work and is probably the most shelf-stable possibility, it may well make your calzone crust sort of skinny and dry.

That is the frozen bread dough earlier than rolling it out. No matter dough you employ, be sure that to roll it out to a desired thickness earlier than baking.

For those who go away the dough tremendous thick (greater than 1/2 an inch), it could be sort of doughy on the within whereas absolutely baked to burning on the surface. Modify the bake time as wanted relying on what dough recipe you employ.

Calzone Fillings

• Sauce – I like pink sauce. You received’t want a lot for the within of every calzone—only a couple spoonfuls on the most. However you will have 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 very best substitution is recent mozzarella, which has greater moisture.
• Toppings – Pizza toppings can turn into 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 take into account cooking them barely first, like sautéing bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms. However that is private desire and simply relies on what sort of textures you like.

Instructions

Roll out the dough. For this bake time I’m recommending right here, the dough needs to 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 a little bit 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 it’s also possible to roll them up. This may rely in your dough.

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

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

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