Cheese Calzone
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups warm water
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 cups bread flour (480g)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
- 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes – crushed by hand
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 6 leaves basil – torn
- 1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta – drained
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella – shredded
- 1/2 cups pecorino romano – finely grated
- 1 large egg – lightly beaten
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- all-purpose flour – for dusting
- semolina flour – for dusting
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil – for brushing
Instructions
- 1.
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, instant yeast, and sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- 2.
Add the bread flour and 2 tsp kosher salt to the bowl and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Add 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes.
- 3.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 60–75 minutes.
- 4.
Make the sauce while the dough rises: Heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, 30–60 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1 tsp kosher salt; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, 15–20 minutes. Stir in the torn basil leaves and keep warm over low heat.
- 5.
Make the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta, shredded mozzarella, grated Pecorino Romano, beaten egg, dried oregano, black pepper, and 0.25 tsp kosher salt. Mix until uniform; cover and refrigerate until needed.
- 6.
Place a baking stone or steel on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes.
- 7.
Gently deflate the risen dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball, cover, and rest for 10 minutes.
- 8.
Lightly dust the work surface with all-purpose flour. Roll each dough ball into an 8–9 inch round.
- 9.
Dust a pizza peel or a parchment-lined inverted baking sheet with semolina flour. Place one dough round on the peel, then spread one-quarter of the cheese filling over half of the round, leaving a 0.5-inch border. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon, press the edges to seal, and crimp firmly. Cut 2 small steam vents on top.
- 10.
Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and filling.
- 11.
Brush the tops of the calzones lightly with the 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.
- 12.
Slide the calzones onto the hot stone (or place the sheet in the oven) and bake until deeply golden and the vents show bubbling cheese, 12–15 minutes, rotating once if needed for even color.
- 13.
Let the calzones stand 5 minutes. Serve hot with the warm tomato-basil sauce for dipping.
A cheese calzone is a folded, sealed pizza stuffed with a rich blend of cheeses that bakes up crisp on the outside and molten within. The crust delivers a satisfying chew and blistered browning, while the interior balances creamy ricotta with stretchy low-moisture mozzarella and a salty, nutty hard cheese. Served with bright tomato sauce for dipping, it offers the familiar flavors of pizzeria pizza in a portable, hand-pie form.
Historically, calzones trace back to Naples, where half-moon “calzoni” were filled with ricotta, mozzarella, and sometimes cured meats as a street-friendly sibling to pizza. In Italian-American kitchens and slice shops, the style evolved larger and heartier, often emphasizing low-moisture mozzarella for pull and serving marinara on the side rather than inside. This version reflects that Italian-American tradition: clean cheese flavors, dried oregano for a pizzeria note, and a high-heat bake that mimics a deck oven at home.