Straightforward Calzone Recipe – A Lovely Mess

Whereas I like do-it-yourself pizza, I’m additionally an enormous fan of pizza’s modest cousin, the calzone. And whereas I’m all for a do-it-yourself calzone recipe (from scratch), this put up is extra about methods to make simple calzone utilizing several types of crust mixes or store-bought dough.

Calzone is completely 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 often 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 substances in a calzone recipe are dough, pizza sauce, cheese and fillings, comparable to pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, and some other greens or protein you like. You may as well make a cheese calzone with out some other fillings.

One other key to nice calzone is you need to serve it alongside dipping sauce—ideally marinara. No matter purple sauce you employ contained in the calzone may be served for dipping, so that you don’t obligatory need to make or purchase two completely different sauces except you need to.

From Scratch Dough Choices

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

Different pizza dough recipes can work, however keep away from something that’s tremendous skinny or crispy. These won’t bake as nicely. It’s finest to stay to a pizza dough recipe that comprises 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 unexpectedly. You’ll need 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 nicely and is simple to form into numerous completely different calzones, relying on the dimensions.
• Dry pizza crust combine (like Jiffy) – Though this may work and is essentially the most shelf-stable choice, it could possibly make your calzone crust form of skinny and dry.

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

In case you go away the dough tremendous thick (greater than 1/2 an inch), it could be form of doughy on the within whereas absolutely baked to burning on the skin. Alter the bake time as wanted relying on what dough recipe you employ.

Calzone Fillings

• Sauce – I like purple sauce. You gained’t want a lot for the within of every calzone—only a couple spoonfuls on the most. However you want some on the aspect for dipping. You can also make calzone with different sauces like Alfredo or different pasta sauces or BBQ sauce. Any sauce you want on pizza you’ll most likely like in a calzone.
• Cheese – I often 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 most effective substitution is contemporary mozzarella, which has larger moisture.
• Toppings – Pizza toppings can turn into fillings for calzone. My household likes pepperoni, and if I’ve some contemporary basil, I’ll often add that too. If you wish to use greens, you might need to think about cooking them barely first, like sautéing bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms. However that is private choice and simply is determined by what sort of textures you like.

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 a bit of 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 too can roll them up. This may rely in your dough.

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

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

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