After creating a recipe for Calzone this week, I spent time researching the origin of this Italian street food. I chuckled when I came across this description from the website Thrillist, in which a columnist was defending “Pizza’s Forgotten Red-Sauced Stepchild.”

“It’s important to note the difference between a Stromboli and a Calzone, two commonly confused Italian dishes. If Calzones are pizza’s kid brother, then Stromboli is like the annoying cousin, always trying to butt in on the fun. The Stromboli is a pinwheel, more like a rolled sandwich than an inside-out pizza. If sauce is on the side, you’re looking at a Calzone. It’s that simple.”

It’s that simple to make, too! I happen to love the refrigerated ready to bake pizza dough and pizza sauce from Trader Joe’s, so that’s where I started. (One package makes two Calzones.) The filling is a delicious mixture of pepperoni, ground beef, sautéed vegetables and cheese. If you bake these up, you may decide as I did, that Calzones are not just pizza’s red-sauced stepchild!

Print Recipe

Calzones

Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:

Rate this recipe!

Servings

Ingredients

For Calzones: (Makes 2)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, minced
• 1 leek, diced fine
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup pizza sauce, divided
• 1 16 ounce container whole milk ricotta
• 1 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella
• 8 thin slices of pepperoni
• 4-5 large basil leaves, rough chopped
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 16 ounce refrigerated, ready to bake pizza dough
• salt, for sprinkling on top of dough

For Mushroom Calzones: (Makes 2)

• 1 pint fresh white mushrooms, diced small
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, minced
• 1 leek, diced fine
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup pizza sauce, divided
• 1 16 ounce container whole milk ricotta
• 1 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella
• 8 thin slices of pepperoni
• 4-5 large basil leaves, rough chopped
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 16 ounce refrigerated, ready to bake pizza dough
• salt, for sprinkling on top of dough

Servings Ingredients For Calzones: (Makes 2) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 large onion, minced 1 leek, diced fine 3-4 cloves fresh garlic 1 pound ground beef 1 cup pizza sauce, divided 1 16 ounce container whole milk ricotta 1 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella 8 thin slices of pepperoni 4-5 large basil leaves, rough chopped 4 tablespoons milk 1 16 ounce refrigerated, ready to bake pizza dough salt, for sprinkling on top of dough For Mushroom Calzones: (Makes 2) 1 pint fresh white mushrooms, diced small 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 large onion, minced 1 leek, diced fine 3-4 cloves fresh garlic 1 pound ground beef 1 cup pizza sauce, divided 1 16 ounce container whole milk ricotta 1 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella 8 thin slices of pepperoni 4-5 large basil leaves, rough chopped 4 tablespoons milk 1 16 ounce refrigerated, ready to bake pizza dough salt, for sprinkling on top of dough

Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

For Calzones:

1. Place pizza dough on a floured surface and cut in two equal portions. Cover with a cloth and let rise for about 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion, leek and garlic until soft and translucent. Add beef and cook until browned. Add ¼ cup pizza sauce, stirring to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, set aside to cool. In a bowl, combine ricotta and shredded mozzarella. Set aside. Using a rolling pin or by hand, roll out first pizza dough into an approximately 8 inch rounds. Spread pizza sauce over entire round, leaving 1/2 inch border. On the bottom half of the dough, place 4 slices of pepperoni. Spread half of the cheese mixture on top of the pepperoni, and then add 4 to 6 tablespoons of the filling on top of the cheese. Sprinkle basil over top. With a pastry brush, brush the outer edges of the dough. Carefully fold half of the dough over the half that has the filling. Press edges together to seal. Brush entire calzone with milk. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with second pizza dough. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with a side of the remainder pizza sauce.

For Mushroom Calzones:

1. Place pizza dough on a floured surface and cut in two equal portions. Cover with a cloth and let rise for about 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large skillet, heat butter and add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are browned. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion, leek and garlic until soft and translucent. Add in the mushrooms, stirring to combine. Add beef and cook until browned. Add ¼ cup pizza sauce, stirring to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, set aside to cool. In a bowl, combine ricotta and shredded mozzarella. Set aside. Using a rolling pin or by hand, roll out first pizza dough into an approximately 8 inch rounds. Spread pizza sauce over entire round, leaving 1/2 inch border. On the bottom half of the dough, place 4 slices of pepperoni. Spread half of the cheese mixture on top of the pepperoni, and then add 4 to 6 tablespoons of the filling on top of the cheese. Sprinkle basil over top. With a pastry brush, brush the outer edges of the dough. Carefully fold half of the dough over the half that has the filling. Press edges together to seal. Brush entire calzone with milk. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with second pizza dough. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with a side of the remainder pizza sauce.

Share this Recipe