My first Calzone

[Moondance]

After searching the forum for help, I tried my first Calzone Friday night. With a crust recipe I found here, but don't have it on hand, ricotta cheese, mozz, sauteed onion and garlic and spinach.  Hubby's had some sausage in it.  I brushed the top with olive oil when it came out as I forgot to do the eggwash before baking.  Baked 450 about 20-25 min.  I thought they were very good.  The crust was really good too.  Not exactly pro looking though.  Hubby said he prefers pizza.  Well of course, but it is nice to change it up now and then.  I will experiment with these more.  It was fun to make.

[Meatballs]

Very nice looking Calzone, You might try opening up the dough thinner if you want less crust, its a matter of preference but i think a thinner skin is more elegant.  The egg wash on a calzone is unnecessary, they are not really expected to be shiny. I like to paint them with butter just out of the oven and immediately throw on some parmeasan on for extra flavor.  My wife makes me fresh ricotta from milk for our calzones, might want to give that a try, there are many good recipes on the interweb for the homemade fresh stuff.

I'm not being critical, just trying to get you to think of how you can make a calzone really yours.  We've been making them for years and find them a very satisfying and quick lunch when refrigerated dough is used (Lehman style dough).  If you add the same ingredients as a pizza, mozzarella, tomato sauce, pepperoni along with some ricotta your husband may find it more to his expectations.

Ron

[TXCraig1]

Not exactly pro looking though.  

You are too modest. It looks GREAT! Better than most restaurants.

[Moondance]

Very nice looking Calzone, You might try opening up the dough thinner if you want less crust, its a matter of preference but i think a thinner skin is more elegant.  The egg wash on a calzone is unnecessary, they are not really expected to be shiny. I like to paint them with butter just out of the oven and immediately throw on some parmeasan on for extra flavor.  My wife makes me fresh ricotta from milk for our calzones, might want to give that a try, there are many good recipes on the interweb for the homemade fresh stuff.

I'm not being critical, just trying to get you to think of how you can make a calzone really yours.  We've been making them for years and find them a very satisfying and quick lunch when refrigerated dough is used (Lehman style dough).  If you add the same ingredients as a pizza, mozzarella, tomato sauce, pepperoni along with some ricotta your husband may find it more to his expectations.

Ron

Thanks Ron for your suggestions.  I really appreciate it.  The crust because of folding it turned out a little thick, but the rest of it was pretty good.  Maybe I overloaded it a bit, but I felt like I was on the edge of it tearing through.  I did some internet searching on calzones and it seemed the "purist" said never put sauce on and it should be ricotta, etc etc.  So I thought I would stick to the so called traditional.  I like the idea of the butter and parmasean sprinkle.  I agree though that husband would like it to be more like pizza.  I'll be experimenting more with these. 

[Moondance]

You are too modest. It looks GREAT! Better than most restaurants.

   Thanks for the compliment Craig!

[pizzaneer]

You are too modest. It looks GREAT! Better than most restaurants.

Definite seconding Craig's opinion.  If DH doesn't appreciate this... he should be wearing a frying pan on his head.  If my wife went to all the effort to make something this pretty, the last thing I would do is be critical of it.  Just saying...

Good job, Moondance!

[Meatballs]

I believe that sauce does very much belong in a calzone.  The best calzones I ever had came from a place called Brother's Pizza in Langhorn, Pa.  They were very simple with way too much ricotta, a nice amount of mozzarella and a splash of pizza sauce.  They were a folded 14 inch pizza crust and oozed cheese when cut.  The crust was thin New York style and made up only a portion of each bite, which was mostly cheese.  There is a good sized Neapolitan-American community in the area (of which we were part) and I think their Calzone epitomized that cooking style.  I don't know what a true Italian calzone from Italy would be, but in the northeast, sauce is very appropriate.

Here is a link to Brother's menu.  Scroll down to the calzones and look under the heading "Calzones".  They list...

http://brotherspizzalanghorne.com/menu.html

Ricotta & Mozzarella Cheese, Tomato Sauce
Regular    Small    6.50    Large    11.50

When I need pizza inspiration I go to this site and remember the aromas, people and food from a long time ago with my father.  My father had the best pizza chops in the universe and could smell out a good place from a mile away.  He introduced me to pizza, as a small child (a Mafia front in Philadelphia), Stromboli as a teenager (a dank bar in Atlantic City, NJ) and calzone (at Brothers) as a young married adult, I owe him everything pizza and have tried to maintain that role model for my own kids, now grown and all pizza gourmets.

[Moondance]

Definite seconding Craig's opinion.  If DH doesn't appreciate this... he should be wearing a frying pan on his head.  If my wife went to all the effort to make something this pretty, the last thing I would do is be critical of it.  Just saying...

Good job, Moondance!

   Thanks pizzaneer!  I don't want to make DH sound like a bad guy.  I always ask him for his honest opinion which helps me improve or make changes in a recipe.  He has helped me "perfect" (always a work in progress) my pizza with his comments. 

[Moondance]

I believe that sauce does very much belong in a calzone.  The best calzones I ever had came from a place called Brother's Pizza in Langhorn, Pa.  They were very simple with way too much ricotta, a nice amount of mozzarella and a splash of pizza sauce.  They were a folded 14 inch pizza crust and oozed cheese when cut.  The crust was thin New York style and made up only a portion of each bite, which was mostly cheese.  There is a good sized Neapolitan-American community in the area (of which we were part) and I think their Calzone epitomized that cooking style.  I don't know what a true Italian calzone from Italy would be, but in the northeast, sauce is very appropriate.

Here is a link to Brother's menu.  Scroll down to the calzones and look under the heading "Calzones".  They list...

When I need pizza inspiration I go to this site and remember the aromas, people and food from a long time ago with my father.  My father had the best pizza chops in the universe and could smell out a good place from a mile away.  He introduced me to pizza, as a small child (a Mafia front in Philadelphia), Stromboli as a teenager (a dank bar in Atlantic City, NJ) and calzone (at Brothers) as a young married adult, I owe him everything pizza and have tried to maintain that role model for my own kids, now grown and all pizza gourmets.

Sounds like you had an interesting upbringing with your father!  I wish we had a great pizza joint in Eastern WA like Brothers.  Thanks for posting that menu and how they make up their calzones.  That is giving me a lot of ideas for my future calzone adventures!  I may have to try it again this weekend.  I am originally from Chicago and the suburbs of Chicago where there is no lack of good pizza.  Moving out here, although beautiful country and I would never want to leave, is disappointing when it comes to pizza.  My first employment was at Venice Pizza in Downers Grove IL as a waitress.  Ha!

[pythonic]

Moondance,

Very nice looking calzone there.  Keep it pure and have the sauce on the side.  Some bites are great with and without it sometimes.  For me though thinner crust is definitely better (that is how they make them on the east coast). I live in chicago and they taste like a cracker crust out here and this is how I ended up finding this site 6yrs ago.

Nate

[Moondance]

Moondance,

Very nice looking calzone there.  Keep it pure and have the sauce on the side.  Some bites are great with and without it sometimes.  For me though thinner crust is definitely better (that is how they make them on the east coast). I live in chicago and they taste like a cracker crust out here and this is how I ended up finding this site 6yrs ago.

Nate

Nate,

Thanks for the compliment.  I haven't tried to make another one yet as it's been pretty hot here.  I typically make pizza every other Friday night (I cut back from making it once a week).  I will definitely try the thinner crust next time.  What do you typically see for toppings?  I'm sure it can be whatever suits your own taste buds. 


Regina

[franko9752]

Moondance,

Very nice looking calzone there.  Keep it pure and have the sauce on the side.  Some bites are great with and without it sometimes.  For me though thinner crust is definitely better (that is how they make them on the east coast). I live in chicago and they taste like a cracker crust out here and this is how I ended up finding this site 6yrs ago.

Nate

Definatly the sauce on the side and for sure thin crust. Very good start on your calzone moondance.