by Liz (Culpeper, VA)
Calzones were at one time known mainly in the central region of Italy – specifically Naples. Although calzones are still popular in Naples, they have also become increasingly popular in many Italian restaurants around the world.
In basic terms, a calzone is simply a pizza which is folded over and stuffed with various Italian ingredients. These can range from different types of cheeses, to meats and fresh vegetables. However, calzones are not difficult to make, and anyone can make them right in their own home. They make wonderfully impressive meals when served to your guests and your family.
The term calzone actually means “trouser leg” in the Italian language. They were named this because the shape of the pizza looked like the baggy style of pants – or trousers – which were often worn by men in Naples during the 18th and 19th centuries. The shape of calzones were not always round as they are today, but where rectangular in form – thus looking much like a man’s wide shaped trousers.
To make a Tomato and Basil filling use the following ingredients:
- 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese
- 6 medium size tomatoes chopped and peeled
- A handful of fresh basil cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes
- Quarter cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
- You will need to start with a basic pizza dough recipe. You can make your own pizza dough by hand, using a dough or food processor, or you can buy premade pizza dough from your local grocery’s frozen food section. Pizza dough is fairly easy to make by hand and generally requires only flour, water, olive oil, and yeast.
- Once your dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into four separate balls. Each ball will become its own calzone.
- 3. Preheat the oven to 475°.
- To prepare the filling, combine all the ingredients except the pizza dough and olive oil into a bowl and mix well.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Next, take each ball of dough and form into 1/4 inch thick circle like a pizza. Place the filling on just ½ of a side of the pizza making sure that the filling does not get too close towards the edge – a good 1 inch distance should be sufficient.
- Fold the opposite side of the pizza over on top of the filling, and seal the edges with your fingers making sure the seal is tight.
- Place the calzones on a cookie sheet(s) which have been lightly oiled or lined with parchment paper.
- Brush extra virgin olive oil on the top of each calzone.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The calzones should have a nice golden brown color and be slightly puffed.
- When they are ready, serve warm and with a nice Italian green salad, or pasta in a small pasta bowl. You can also serve some Italian pasta sauce on the side to pour on top of the calzone or for dipping.
Since calzones are essentially a folded over pizza, this lends itself to the same rules as pizza – which is the ability to choose from a variety of toppings – in this case the filling. Some calzones are meat filled such as beef and ham. Calzones can also be made with just cheese – mostly mozzarella and ricotta cheese.
Herbs are frequently used in calzones along with various vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchinis and mushrooms. You can also experiment with different types of dough. For example you can add herbs directly into your pizza dough while mixing. Using a dough mixer can help evenly distribute the herbs or seasonings.
Just as with a pizza, the options for this Italian recipe are truly limitless. Experiment and discover which flavors work best for you and your guests or family. Remember, this serves 4, so you can make each one different!
