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How to Make a Classic Calzone: Italian Calzone Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Nov 20, 2024 • 4 min read

This classic calzone recipe is made with homemade pizza dough filled with Italian cheeses, veggies, and pepperoni, resulting in a tasty pizza pocket with a crispy, golden-brown crust and warm, cheesy center.

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What Is a Calzone?

A calzone is a baked Italian dish made with a pizza crust folded into a semicircle and stuffed with fillings. The calzone originated in Naples, Italy, and comes from the Italian word ‘calze,’ meaning trousers or stockings. The name reflects the portability of the calzone, which is intended to be eaten on the go.

Similar to a stromboli, which is made out of dough rolled into a spiral to create a cylindrical shape, a calzone is a versatile vehicle for a wide range of ingredients. Classic calzone fillings include ricotta and mozzarella cheese, meats, and vegetables. Tomato sauce or marinara sauce is traditionally served on the side of the baked pocket.

7 Ideas for Calzone Fillings

There is no shortage of filling options for this versatile baked dish. These are just some of the ingredients that can be included in a tasty homemade calzone.

  1. 1. Mix up the meats. While traditional pizza toppings like pepperoni and Italian sausage make delicious fillings for any calzone, you can experiment with adding other meats like prosciutto, grilled chicken, bacon, and meatballs.
  2. 2. Load up on vegetables. Vegetables like peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black olives are a great way to add flavor to a calzone. Other toothsome produce options include caramelized onion, potato, and arugula.
  3. 3. Play around with cheeses. There is no shortage of delightful cheeses that can be featured in a calzone, from the standard mozzarella, ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Pecorino Romano, to less conventional options like Gruyère, feta, or creamy goat cheese.
  4. 4. Switch up the sauce. For a twist on the traditional calzone, try filling your dough with different Italian sauces like pesto, garlic sauce, or alfredo sauce.
  5. 5. Add a hint of sweetness. Subtly sweet additions like fig jam, pineapple, and pear will bring a satisfying contrast of sweetness to any calzone.
  6. 6. Incorporate seafood. Naples is known for its seafood, so it’s no surprise that ingredients like prawns, clams, and anchovies work well in this traditional Italian dish.
  7. 7. New school calzones. For those ready to branch out of the Italian realm, your calzone is the perfect vehicle for non-traditional flavor variations. You can easily make your calzone Hawaiian style (with Canadian bacon and pineapple), cheeseburger style (with hamburger, onion, bacon, and cheddar cheese), taco-style (with ground beef, refried beans, black olives, and Mexican cheese), BBQ chicken style (with chicken, barbecue sauce, and red onion), or buffalo chicken style (with chicken, buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and ranch dressing).

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Calzone Recipe

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16 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

4 calzones

prep time

4 hr

total time

4 hr 15 min

cook time

15 min

Ingredients

For the crust:

For the filling:

  1. 1

    In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, stir the active dry yeast and olive oil into 1 cup of warm water.

  2. 2

    Add the yeast water and flour to a medium mixing bowl and knead them together until dough forms, using your hands or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.

  3. 3

    Set the dough aside to rest for 15 minutes.

  4. 4

    Knead the rested dough for 2 minutes, and divide the dough into 4 portions. Shape each portion of dough into a ball.

  5. 5

    Place the dough balls on a floured surface, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let it rise for 3–4 hours at room temperature.

  6. 6

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

  7. 7

    Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper, or lightly flour a pizza stone.

  8. 8

    On a floured work surface, roll each portion of dough into an 8–9 inch circle.

  9. 9

    On half of each circle of dough, add ¼ of the ricotta cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni, bell pepper, and onion, distributing the fillings evenly between the portions of dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the fillings.

  10. 10

    Fold over the empty half of the dough, covering the fillings and creating a semicircle.

  11. 11

    Using your hands, pinch together the edges to crimp and seal. Repeat with each calzone.

  12. 12

    Transfer the calzones onto the prepared baking sheet or pizza stone.

  13. 13

    Using a knife, cut 3 steam vents into the top of the pizza dough.

  14. 14

    Brush the top of each calzone with the egg wash, and sprinkle the dough with the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

  15. 15

    Bake until the dough is golden brown and fully cooked, about 13–15 minutes.

  16. 16

    Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Massimo Bottura, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.