How To: Calzones
How To: Calzones
Dough
Make this pizza dough, rest, and divide into 4 pieces
Sauce
Make this red sauce with canned tomato sauce
OR this red sauce with fresh tomatoes
Toppings
Use any of the following toppings, customizing to your preferences:
Cheese, mozzarella or Italian blend recommended
Meats:
Pepperoni
Canadian bacon
Chicken
Ham
Sausage
Ground Beef
Black olives, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Pineapple, sliced
Onions, diced
Peppers, diced
Tomatoes, diced
Fresh basil leaves
Pans
Calzones cook at ~425F, so whatever pan you choose, ensure that it can handle hot heat. Select one:
Cast iron (15” round skillet, size varies): able to withstand the high heat and creates a crust that almost tastes deep fried. Preheat cast iron while preparing calzone.
Sheet pan (18” x 13”): generally works similar to the cast iron but doesn’t create quite the same crispness in the crust.
Ceramic pizza stone + pizza peel: place stone in the oven during preheat and build the calzone, then transfer prepared calzone to hot stone. Popular as the hot stone generally guarantees a crisp, bubbly crust.
Steel pizza stone + pizza peel: suggested use & results are similar to the ceramic stone.
Methodology
Build on a silicone mat for easy transfer
Prepare dough, sauce & toppings
Select pan and put in oven, turn oven to 425F to preheat
Roll out one piece of dough, using a rolling pin or stretch & press into a 9” circle with fingertips
Remember the dough was divided in 4 pieces (above)
Note: for a calzone, the toppings are put on half the circle and then the circle is folded over the toppings and the edge is sealed
Spoon sauce over 1/2 of circle, creating a thin layer not quite to the edge
Cover with toppings
Fold undressed half of dough over toppings, creating a half-moon shape
Crimp edges -
stretch the bottom layer up & over the top all around the half-moon
using fingertips, press the layers firmly together
Brush egg whites over top, sprinkle with oregano or garlic salt
Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the top for steam to escape during baking
Transfer calzone to the hot pan in oven:
Open oven, using a hot pad, pull oven rack containing hot stone out to the catch (~halfway)
Optional step to make it easier to remove baked calzone: if cooking on . . .
cast iron or sheet pan: add ~1 tsp oil to the pan
ceramic or steel stone: sprinkle stone lightly with cornmeal
Quickly lift the calzone from silicone mat and transfer to the hot pan
Using a hot pad, push the oven rack back into place within the oven and close the door
Bake 14-20 minutes, until golden brown, remove calzone with a pizza peel or a spatula
Serve hot.
Brenda’s tips:
Serving size: 4 calzones
Build 1, or 2, or even all 4 calzones at once:
4 calzones will fit on the sheet pan
2 calzones will fit on a 15” cast iron
2 calzones will fit on either of the stones
