If you are a pizza lover, then it is inevitable that you will like the taste of calzones as well. Pizza and calzone are both made of a lot of similar ingredients. They both originate in Naples, Italy.
If you see a calzone, you may think it is a half-folded pizza, although they are a bit different.
What Is A Calzone
Actually, a calzone is closer to a stuffed crust pizza turnover, meaning it is more than a half-folded pizza. It seems like a pizza folded in half, but this is mainly during preparation.
Pizza dough is puffed out and filled with toppings on one side to make a calzone. Then the empty side is pulled over the top of it to make a patch. Once the process is finished and baked completely, it becomes distinct from a regular pizza.
What Does the Word Calzone Mean
The word ‘calzone’ is derived from the Italian word meaning ‘pants’ or ‘trousers.’ It is a crescent-shaped pizza where a double-folded dough contains delicious stuffing.
Calzone can be compared with the street version of the round pizza since it is easier to transport, and the stuffing can not topple over.
This yummy food originated in Naples, Italy, and then spread worldwide. It is fabulous for a snack in the evening or a quick lunch, or even a side dish with your pizza.
The preparation of a calzone starts with the bread dough folded into a flat, whippy circle, separating the dough when the toppings are filled to just half. The untopped half is crimped along the rim, creating a half moon, with the half sporting cheese, meat, and often vegetables. The half-folded circles or tuber are either baked or fried.
Is Calzone A Pizza
Many people wonder if a calzone is a pizza or the difference between a pizza and a calzone. These queries are very common in the food industry. Moist dough, perfect marinara sauce, and an abundance of cheese toppings- are the three main components of a traditional pizza.
There are different varieties in terms of numerous possibilities of toppings which are considered the second similarity between pizza and calzone. The third similarity is the origin, which is Italian.
Calzone vs Pizza
A calzone is different from a pizza, not only in shape but also in essence. The chief difference between a pizza and a calzone is that you can see the toppings used when you eat pizza.
On the flip side, when you eat a calzone, you will not be able to see the toppings inside it unless you personalize your calzone with your favorite toppings. In an authentic calzone, you can imagine two slices of pizza placed on each other like a sandwich where the whole ‘crust’ is stuffed with toppings.
1. Texture
The calzone is much softer with a claggy center, as the inside is never revealed to the oven’s heat. Calzones are less messy and stay warmer for a long time, unlike melted cheese in the outer crust of a pizza which is nearly impossible to eat without a knife.
The difference in the shape of a calzone and a pizza leads to a different preparation method. Although the dough does not make or break a calzone like pizza, you can get as much savor from it as you want.
2. Dough
To attain exceptional freshness and deliciousness, making the dough from scratch is recommended. If you leave the covered dough in the fridge for a night or two, it will take longer to ferment.
Take the dough from the fridge for at least one hour before molding the calzone. It will help the dough to rise at room temperature, shaping it and obtaining the right temperature for baking.
While molding your calzone, prepare a thin dough but not thicker than two stacked quarters. It reduces the final heftiness of the calzone and balances the stuffing in the dough.
3. Topping and Filling
While making a pizza, there should be a limit to topping, but you can add any quantity while making a calzone.
You must fill a dough circle with a 2-inch high mound of toppings. A half-inch of the circumference has to be left empty for sealing and crimping the dough once it is folded the other half over the top.
You have to saute the toppings like sausage, chicken, ground beef, garlic, onion, and spinach in a skillet on medium heat before stuffing them into the calzone. You can stuff raw toppings like pepperoni or broccoli.
4. Seasoning
More seasoning is needed if you want to add more toppings. Firstly, salt is essential because it’s unusual to taste overly salty bread, whereas little salt can ruin the taste of calzone.
Feel free to roam around your herb garden and search for sage, rosemary, or your favorite herbs. You can add basil, but an authentic calzone does not contain tomato sauce. You can also add chopped garlic, enhancing the taste of your savory calzone.
5. Ingredients
Most calzones are made with the traditional combination of ricotta cheese, parmesan, and Mozzarella cheese. To prevent a mushy situation, scatter the mozzarella with a freer hand and go easier on the ricotta.
Cover up the other toppings. Brush a light gaze of beaten egg over the calzone before baking. It will help to provide a crispier exterior and a nice sheen.
6. Temperature
Restaurants bake calzones in very hot ovens. However, if you are making it at your home, you can go for 350 F, considering that 425 F will give you a nice brown texture. At this temperature, it will be no longer than 15 minutes.
How People Serve Calzone
Italians take calzones for a light lunch or snack food; hence they use simple and fresh ingredients for the calzones. Calzones are filled with carefully chosen ingredients, unlike pizza which you can top with delicious elements.
One great combination can be ham and mushroom calzone which begins with a liberal mound of tomato pulp. Nextly, you can add mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, Virginia ham, and basil for a wholesome flavor.
Another stuffing can be ricotta cheese and pumpkin. Mozzarella can be swapped with ricotta, whereas you can swap pumpkin with spinach for a delicious taste. Four cheese calzone will be the best option for cheese lovers.
The melted blend of mozzarella, fior di latte, goat’s cheese, and gorgonzola explodes with every bite of the calzone.
Are Calzones Good For Health
Calzones are not precisely healthy if you use meat and excessive cheese. You can use leaner meats or cut out the processed meats. You can switch it with lots of fresh vegetables to make it healthier.
You can also use low-fat cheese but in a smaller amount. The whole wheat dough will be an excellent idea to make your calzone low in fat and calories and higher in fiber.
Conclusion
Before preparing your calzones, check the nutrition facts labels on the ingredients to avoid your calzone full of sodium. You can serve a salad with it as a complementary dish.
Like a pizza, the calzone is considered a traditional dish in Naples and the adjacent Campania region. Vendors in that city offer freshly prepared calzones on the street corner, finely wrapped with paper which you can eat without any hassle, even while walking.
