MONSOON SPECIAL | THE CALZONE FIESTA…

BY: DR. KAVIRAJ KHIALANI: CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF.

A Calzone is an Italian oven-baked folded pizza, often described as a turnover, made with leavened dough. It originated in Naples in the 18th century. It all Started in Naples, originating in 1700’s Naples, Italy, calzones were sold on the streets and intended to be eaten on the go.

At this time, calzones were actually formed by simply folding an uncooked pizza in half before baking it, hen, America got on board to get in the Cal-Zone. The origin of this delicacy began in Naples, Italy in the early 1700s. If you were to translate ‘calzone’ from Italian to English, it would mean ‘pants leg. ‘ 

Pants leg refers to the Italians with the need for a pizza on the go! They are basically an individual pizza all wrapped up. No cheese sliding off or floppy crusts. Just pure deliciousness wrapped up in a pillowy dough. This recipe gives calzones their much-needed due attention.

When calzones were first originated in Naples, they were designed to be eaten by hand, without any utensils. The half-moon shape of a traditional calzone indicates that it was made by simply folding over a single round of pizza crust. Originating in 1700’s Naples, Italy, calzones were sold on the streets and intended to be eaten on the go.

At this time, calzones were actually formed by simply folding an uncooked pizza in half before baking it. They’re also the basis for the frozen food – “Pizza Pockets.” While calzones are more commonly the size of a medium pizza, panzerottis remain small and sandwich-sized.

They tend to be about 9″ inches in diameter and semi-circled. Calzones are Italian. Actually, legitimately, 100%- certified, Italian. They originated in Naples as a casual, standing-on- the-street way of eating pizza, and they vary in terms of ingredients and techniques in different regions in Italy.

Stromboli is Italian- American. A calzone is like a pizza, but it’s not a pizza. That’s why it’s called something different. Similar to the sandwich/wrap conundrum. But sandwiches, like pizza, are endlessly versatile (toppings, breads, sauces, etc.)

In Italy. Sandwich-sized calzones are often sold at Italian lunch counters or by street vendors, because they are easy to eat while standing or walking. Fried versions of the calzone are typically filled with tomato and mozzarella: these are made in Apulia and are called panzerotti. Calzone fillings are similar to that of toppings on pizza- cured meats like ham, pepperoni, prosciutto, sausage…, vegetables, and various cheeses.

This Calzone is more of a classic “Supreme Pizza” but you can use whatever fillings you like best. A true calzone has ricotta cheese and does NOT have any sauce. A calzone is actually a type of pizza, but the big difference is it’s inside out! The dough is on the outside and the “toppings” are inside the calzone making it a completely different experience from eating a pizza.

Essentially a pizza folded over itself, the calzone is like one big hand pie: filling neatly enclosed with dough, so you get browned crust in every bite. You can fill it with any pizza toppings; it should be substantial and fairly dry so the dough doesn’t leak or get soggy. And while both have Italian cheese, calzones are made with ricotta (often alongside mozzarella and/or Parmesan) while Stromboli are typically only made with mozzarella. 

Calzones’ fillings do not include sauce; marinara is served on the side for dipping. You can also make calzones in smaller one-serving sizes, if you prefer, and they can be filled with the ingredients of your choice. Since calzones are equally good served hot or at room temperature, they are perfect for parking-lot picnics, sack lunches or meals on the run.

Here are a few twist of taste – Calzone recipes to try out by all our readers:

Recipe-1] HERBED CHICKEN CALZONE

Ingredients:

For the calzone dough:

• 1 cup whole- wheat flour
• ½ cup refined flour
• Yeast- 1 tsp fresh
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1 pinch
• Warm water as needed to make the dough
• Olive oil-2 tsp

For the herbed chicken filling:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Boiled chopped chicken- 1 cup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced black olives- 2-3 tsp
• Sliced green olives- 2-3 tsp
• White sauce- ½ cup
• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.
• Grated cheese-2 -3 tbsp.
• Fresh parsley- 2 tsp chopped
• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp dried
• Chopped capsicum-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. To start with the dough for the calzone, in ¼ cup warm water add in the yeast, sugar and mix in 2 tsp of the refined flour and mix, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
2. Sieve all the other dry ingredients and keep them aside. Once bubbles appear on the surface of the yeast mixture, add it into a well created in between the flour and dry ingredient mixture and using more warm water and little olive oil make a fairly smooth and stiff dough.
3. Knead it up well, shape it into a round and cover it with a damp duster and place it in a warm place to activate fermentation. It will take around 20-25 mins.
4. Punch back the dough and release the air from it post fermentation and divide the mix into 6- 8 equal portions and shape it into rounds and keep aside.
5. Meantime prepare the chicken filling as well side by side by using all the listed ingredients and cook the mixture for 3-4 mins, remove onto a plate, cool completely and then add in the grated cheese.
6. Roll out each of the dough mixture into an approx. 6-inch diameter round shape, place the filling towards one side, spread out a little cold water to assist in sealing the edges, cover and fold over pinch the edges down using a fork, forming it into a semi-circle kind of shape.
7. Prepare all the calzones the same way, pre-heat the oven to 180 deg celsius and either apply a little milk wash/ egg wash over the calzones, sprinkle a few sesame seeds or so and allow to bake for 15- 18 mins, once done carefully remove them and allow to wait on the cooling rack, serve as desired.

Recipe-2] MUSHROOM AND TOFU CALZONE

Ingredients:

For the calzone dough:

• 1 cup whole- wheat flour
• ½ cup refined flour
• Yeast- 1 tsp fresh
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1 pinch
• Warm water as needed to make the dough
• Olive oil-2 tsp

For the mushroom & tofu filling:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Sliced fresh mushrooms- 1 cup
• Tofu- soft/ firm- ½ cup crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced black olives- 2-3 tsp
• Sliced green olives- 2-3 tsp
• White sauce- ½ cup
• Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.
• Grated cheese-2 -3 tbsp.
• Fresh parsley- 2 tsp chopped
• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp dried
• Chopped capsicum-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. To start with the dough for the calzone, in ¼ cup warm water add in the yeast, sugar and mix in 2 tsp of the refined flour and mix, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
2. Sieve all the other dry ingredients and keep them aside. Once bubbles appear on the surface of the yeast mixture, add it into a well created in between the flour and dry ingredient mixture and using more warm water and little olive oil make a fairly smooth and stiff dough.
3. Knead it up well, shape it into a round and cover it with a damp duster and place it in a warm place to activate fermentation. It will take around 20-25 mins.
4. Punch back the dough and release the air from it post fermentation and divide the mix into 6- 8 equal portions and shape it into rounds and keep aside.
5. Meantime prepare the mushroom and tofu filling as well side by side by using all the listed ingredients and cook the mixture for 3-4 mins, remove onto a plate, cool completely and then add in the grated cheese.
6. Roll out each of the dough mixture into an approx. 6-inch diameter round shape, place the filling towards one side, spread out a little cold water to assist in sealing the edges, cover and fold over pinch the edges down using a fork, forming it into a semi-circle kind of shape.
7. Prepare all the calzones the same way, pre-heat the oven to 180 deg celsius and either apply a little milk wash/ egg wash over the calzones, sprinkle a few sesame seeds or so and allow to bake for 15- 18 mins, once done carefully remove them and allow to wait on the cooling rack, serve as desired.

Recipe-3] PASSION OF SEAFOOD CALZONE

Ingredients:

For the calzone dough:

• 1 cup whole- wheat flour
• ½ cup refined flour
• Yeast- 1 tsp fresh
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1 pinch
• Warm water as needed to make the dough
• Olive oil-2 tsp

For the seafood filling:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Medium sized shrimps-1 cup, cleaned
• Poached fish/ cooked fish- 1 cup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced black olives- 2-3 tsp
• Sliced green olives- 2-3 tsp
• White sauce- ½ cup
• Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.
• Grated cheese-2 -3 tbsp.
• Fresh parsley- 2 tsp chopped
• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp dried
• Chopped capsicum-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. To start with the dough for the calzone, in ¼ cup warm water add in the yeast, sugar and mix in 2 tsp of the refined flour and mix, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
2. Sieve all the other dry ingredients and keep them aside. Once bubbles appear on the surface of the yeast mixture, add it into a well created in between the flour and dry ingredient mixture and using more warm water and little olive oil make a fairly smooth and stiff dough.
3. Knead it up well, shape it into a round and cover it with a damp duster and place it in a warm place to activate fermentation. It will take around 20-25 mins.
4. Punch back the dough and release the air from it post fermentation and divide the mix into 6- 8 equal portions and shape it into rounds and keep aside.
5. Meantime prepare the seafood filling as well side by side by using all the listed ingredients and cook the mixture for 3-4 mins, remove onto a plate, cool completely and then add in the grated cheese.
6. Roll out each of the dough mixture into an approx. 6-inch diameter round shape, place the filling towards one side, spread out a little cold water to assist in sealing the edges, cover and fold over pinch the edges down using a fork, forming it into a semi-circle kind of shape.
7. Prepare all the calzones the same way, pre-heat the oven to 180 deg celsius and either apply a little milk wash/ egg wash over the calzones, sprinkle a few sesame seeds or so and allow to bake for 15- 18 mins, once done carefully remove them and allow to wait on the cooling rack, serve as desired.

Recipe-4] PEPPERED MEAT CALZONE

Ingredients:

For the calzone dough:

• 1 cup whole- wheat flour
• ½ cup refined flour
• Yeast- 1 tsp fresh
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1 pinch
• Warm water as needed to make the dough
• Olive oil-2 tsp

For the peppered meat filling:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Cooked meat/ grilled sliced meat-1 cup
• Red chili sauce/green chili sauce- 2 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced black olives- 2-3 tsp
• Sliced green olives- 2-3 tsp
• White sauce- ½ cup
• Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.
• Grated cheese-2 -3 tbsp.
• Fresh parsley- 2 tsp chopped
• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp dried
• Chopped capsicum-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. To start with the dough for the calzone, in ¼ cup warm water add in the yeast, sugar and mix in 2 tsp of the refined flour and mix, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
2. Sieve all the other dry ingredients and keep them aside. Once bubbles appear on the surface of the yeast mixture, add it into a well created in between the flour and dry ingredient mixture and using more warm water and little olive oil make a fairly smooth and stiff dough.
3. Knead it up well, shape it into a round and cover it with a damp duster and place it in a warm place to activate fermentation. It will take around 20-25 mins.
4. Punch back the dough and release the air from it post fermentation and divide the mix into 6- 8 equal portions and shape it into rounds and keep aside.
5. Meantime prepare the peppered meat filling as well side by side by using all the listed ingredients and cook the mixture for 3-4 mins, remove onto a plate, cool completely and then add in the grated cheese.
6. Roll out each of the dough mixture into an approx. 6-inch diameter round shape, place the filling towards one side, spread out a little cold water to assist in sealing the edges, cover and fold over pinch the edges down using a fork, forming it into a semi-circle kind of shape.
7. Prepare all the calzones the same way, pre-heat the oven to 180 deg celsius and either apply a little milk wash/ egg wash over the calzones, sprinkle a few sesame seeds or so and allow to bake for 15-18 mins, once done carefully remove them and allow to wait on the cooling rack, serve as desired.

Recipe- 5] SPINACH AND CORN CALZONE

Ingredients:

For the calzone dough:

• 1 cup whole- wheat flour
• ½ cup refined flour
• Yeast- 1 tsp fresh
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1 pinch
• Warm water as needed to make the dough
• Olive oil-2 tsp

For the spinach and corn filling:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Spinach- 1 cup blanched and chopped
• American corn- 1 cup boiled
• Red chili sauce-1-2 tsp
• Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced black olives- 2-3 tsp
• Sliced green olives- 2-3 tsp
• White sauce- ½ cup
• Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.
• Grated cheese-2 -3 tbsp.
• Fresh parsley- 2 tsp chopped
• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp dried
• Chopped capsicum-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. To start with the dough for the calzone, in ¼ cup warm water add in the yeast, sugar and mix in 2 tsp of the refined flour and mix, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
2. Sieve all the other dry ingredients and keep them aside. Once bubbles appear on the surface of the yeast mixture, add it into a well created in between the flour and dry ingredient mixture and using more warm water and little olive oil make a fairly smooth and stiff dough.
3. Knead it up well, shape it into a round and cover it with a damp duster and place it in a warm place to activate fermentation. It will take around 20-25 mins.
4. Punch back the dough and release the air from it post fermentation and divide the mix into 6- 8 equal portions and shape it into rounds and keep aside.
5. Meantime prepare the spinach and corn filling as well side by side by using all the listed ingredients and cook the mixture for 3-4 mins, remove onto a plate, cool completely and then add in the grated cheese.
6. Roll out each of the dough mixture into an approx. 6-inch diameter round shape, place the filling towards one side, spread out a little cold water to assist in sealing the edges, cover and fold over pinch the edges down using a fork, forming it into a semi-circle kind of shape.
7. Prepare all the calzones the same way, pre-heat the oven to 180 deg celsius and either apply a little milk wash/ egg wash over the calzones, sprinkle a few sesame seeds or so and allow to bake for 15- 18 mins, once done carefully remove them and allow to wait on the cooling rack, serve as desired.

Recipe-6] VEGETARIAN BASILICO CALZONE

Ingredients:

For the calzone dough:

• 1 cup whole- wheat flour
• ½ cup refined flour
• Yeast- 1 tsp fresh
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt- 1 pinch
• Warm water as needed to make the dough
• Olive oil-2 tsp

For the Veggie basil filling:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Carrots and beans-1 cup, cut and boiled
• Green peas-1/2 cup boiled
• Cauliflower-1/2 cup boiled
• Red chili sauce-1-2 tsp
• Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sliced black olives- 2-3 tsp
• Sliced green olives- 2-3 tsp
• White sauce- ½ cup
• Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.
• Grated cheese-2 -3 tbsp.
• Fresh basil leaves- 8-10 no
• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp dried
• Chopped capsicum-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. To start with the dough for the calzone, in ¼ cup warm water add in the yeast, sugar and mix in 2 tsp of the refined flour and mix, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
2. Sieve all the other dry ingredients and keep them aside. Once bubbles appear on the surface of the yeast mixture, add it into a well created in between the flour and dry ingredient mixture and using more warm water and little olive oil make a fairly smooth and stiff dough.
3. Knead it up well, shape it into a round and cover it with a damp duster and place it in a warm place to activate fermentation. It will take around 20-25 mins.
4. Punch back the dough and release the air from it post fermentation and divide the mix into 6- 8 equal portions and shape it into rounds and keep aside.
5. Meantime prepare the veggie and basil filling as well side by side by using all the listed ingredients and cook the mixture for 3-4 mins, remove onto a plate, cool completely and then add in the grated cheese.
6. Roll out each of the dough mixture into an approx. 6-inch diameter round shape, place the filling towards one side, spread out a little cold water to assist in sealing the edges, cover and fold over pinch the edges down using a fork, forming it into a semi-circle kind of shape.
7. Prepare all the calzones the same way, pre-heat the oven to 180 deg celsius and either apply a little milk wash/ egg wash over the calzones, sprinkle a few sesame seeds or so and allow to bake for 15- 18 mins, once done carefully remove them and allow to wait on the cooling rack, serve as desired.