Neapolitan-Style Calzone at Home
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
1
8- or 9-ounce ball of pizza dough
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 c
fresh ricotta cheese
⅓ c
grated mozzarella cheese (do not use fresh, which is too watery)
2 tbsp
olive oil
½ c
additional fillings, such as cooked, crumbled Italian sausage; sautéed garlicky Italian greens; or a few slices of good Italian salami (optional)
Warm marinara sauce in a bowl, to serve
Neapolitan-Style Calzone at Home
A calzone is the best way to use pizza dough in a new, old way. Think “custom Neapolitan pizza meets giant, cheesy Hot Pockets.” A classic calzone stuffed high with ricotta and mozzarella very much stands on its own, but a cheese calzone can also serve as the base for incorporating your own creative add-in ingredients. Don’t worry about perfection. Calzones are casual. You can even use a ball of dough from your local pizzeria if you don’t have the time to make your own.
1-2 servings
- Preheat the oven to 500°F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Generously dust the pizza dough with flour. Use your hands to press and stretch the pizza dough into a thin round, as you would a pizza. Don’t worry if your dough is imperfectly shaped.
- Spread the ricotta, mozzarella, and whatever toppings you’d like onto half of the pizza dough, leaving a small rim around the edge. Season with salt and pepper.
- Fold the plain half of dough over the cheese-covered half and press the edge all the way around to seal the calzone. If the edges are especially uneven, you can trim them as needed. (Tip: If your dough looks dry, brush a little water around the edge before folding it over to help it stick.)
- Brush the top of the calzone with a little olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes, until the dough is a rich golden brown on top and bottom. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a large plate. Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce, if desired.
Lisa Ruland
Lisa Ruland is a food writer based in Brooklyn and D.C. A former pastry chef and recovering lawyer, her writing has appeared in Food52, Eater, the Washington Post, Modern Loss, Bon Appétit, her blog, Unpeeled Journal, and more. Her favorite dessert is a cheese plate.