Calzone
Folded-over pizza stuffed with cheese and cured meat. · Italy
Folded-over pizza stuffed with cheese and cured meat.
About Calzone
A round of pizza dough is folded over a filling of ricotta, mozzarella and salami, sealed and baked into a stuffed half-moon. It is the portable, pocket version of Neapolitan pizza.
🏛️ History & Culture
The calzone originates from Naples, where it emerged as a portable variant of the classic Neapolitan pizza, with street vendors and home cooks folding the dough to enclose fillings like ricotta, mozzarella, and cured meats. Its exact invention is not precisely documented, but it is widely associated with the 18th-century tradition of baking pizza in wood-fired ovens, and the name literally means "stocking" or "trouser leg" in Italian, hinting at its folded shape.
In Italy, the calzone is most firmly rooted in Campania, but versions like the fried panzerotto in Puglia and the baked calzone in other regions show local twists, often swapping salami for ham or adding vegetables. Culturally, it represents the Neapolitan genius for making pizza a self-contained, hand-held meal, and today it is cherished both as a street snack and a sit-down dish, symbolizing the adaptability of Italy’s most famous culinary export.
🍳 How to make Calzone
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedCalzone (Italian Stuffed Pizza Fold)
A Neapolitan classic where rounds of pizza dough are folded over a filling of ricotta, mozzarella and salami, sealed and baked until puffed and golden. It is essentially pizza turned into a portable, pocket-shaped meal.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Recipe ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) 00 flour or strong bread flour, Italian '00' gives the most authentic crust; strong bread flour is the standard home substitute
- 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant dried yeast, or fresh yeast, see step
- 10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 5 g (1 tsp) caster sugar
- 320 ml (1⅓ cups) lukewarm water
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 300 g (10½ oz) fresh ricotta, drained for 20 minutes in a sieve to firm up the filling
- 200 g (7 oz) mozzarella fior di latte or low-moisture mozzarella, drained and torn or grated; patted dry on kitchen paper
- 120 g (4¼ oz) Italian salami (e.g. Napoli or Milano), sliced and chopped, lightly cooked salami gives a better texture and flavour; alternatively use 'salame ventricina' or soppressata
- 200 g (7 oz) passata or tinned San Marzano tomatoes, roughly crushed, well drained to stop a soggy calzone
- 40 g (⅓ cup) Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 1 small handful fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small egg yolk, for the egg wash; omit for a softer finish
Steps
- 1 Make the dough: in a large bowl (or stand mixer with dough hook) mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and olive oil and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, soft and only slightly tacky. Cover and leave to rise at room temperature for about 1½ to 2 hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
- 2 Prepare the filling: combine the drained ricotta, drained mozzarella, chopped salami, crushed tomatoes, grated Pecorino, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. The mixture should be cohesive but not wet; if it looks loose, drain again. Cover and chill until needed.
- 3 Heat the oven to its highest setting, 250 to 260 °C (480 to 500 °F), with a pizza stone or heavy baking tray on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes.
- 4 Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (about 220 g each). On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a round about 22 to 25 cm (9 to 10 in) across, keeping the centre slightly thicker than the edge.
- 5 Spoon one quarter of the filling onto the lower half of each round, leaving a 2 cm (¾ in) border all around. Be conservative: overfilling causes blow-outs.
- 6 Fold the dough over to form a half-moon. Press the edges firmly together with your fingertips, then crimp by rolling the seam up onto itself, or press with the tines of a fork to seal.
- 7 Transfer the calzoni to semolina-dusted peel or parchment. Brush with the egg yolk (or a little olive oil) and, if you like, sprinkle with a pinch of grated Pecorino.
- 8 Slide onto the hot stone or tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is puffed, deeply golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. The filling should reach at least 75 °C (167 °F) at the centre and the cheese must be fully melted.
- 9 Rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving; the filling will be extremely hot. Serve simply, with a small bowl of olive oil or a light tomato dip on the side.
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Calzone — frequently asked questions
What is Calzone?
A round of pizza dough is folded over a filling of ricotta, mozzarella and salami, sealed and baked into a stuffed half-moon. It is the portable, pocket version of Neapolitan pizza.
What is Calzone made of?
Calzone is made with pizza dough, ricotta, mozzarella, salami and tomato.
Where does Calzone come from?
Calzone comes from Italy, and is especially associated with Naples. The calzone originates from Naples, where it emerged as a portable variant of the classic Neapolitan pizza, with street vendors and home cooks folding the dough to enclose fillings like ricotta, mozzarella, and cured meats.
Where can I eat Calzone?
A Naples pizzeria, baked golden and eaten by hand.
How do you make Calzone?
Making Calzone at home takes about 25 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4 and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
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