Description
This easy calzone recipe features a crispy, golden-brown dough stuffed with a delicious blend of pizza sauce, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, salami, and shredded mozzarella. Perfect for a quick homemade Italian meal, these calzones are baked to perfection and topped with parmesan for an extra layer of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough and Assembly
- 2 lb pizza dough
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup pepperoni, sliced
- 1/2 cup salami, sliced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp oil (for brushing and baking sheet)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 475 °F (245 °C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the dough: Divide the pizza dough into 8 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a circle about 1/4 inch thick, ensuring even thickness for uniform baking.
- Add the filling: Spoon pizza sauce, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, salami, and shredded mozzarella onto one half of each dough circle. Leave a clean edge around the perimeter to seal the calzone properly.
- Seal the calzones: Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges firmly to seal the calzones, preventing filling from escaping during baking.
- Prepare for baking: Arrange the calzones on the prepared baking sheet with some space between each. Cut a small vent on the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Brush and top: Brush the tops of the calzones with oil for a golden finish. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over each calzone for added flavor.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the calzones turn golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to not overfill the calzones to avoid leakage during baking.
- You can substitute salami and pepperoni with your favorite cured meats or vegetables.
- To make the dough easier to work with, allow it to come to room temperature before rolling.
- The small vents on top are essential to prevent soggy calzones and promote even baking.
- Serve warm with extra pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.
