
Baked calzone
Calzone al forno
Traditional recipe
Folded pizza filled with ricotta, salami, or ham and mozzarella, baked in the oven until golden brown.
The calzone is the 'closed' version of the Neapolitan pizza, folded mezzaluna to contain the filling inside. Baking creates a crispy pastry shell that protects and flavors the filling. Unlike the fried calzone (panzerotto), the baked one is drier and lighter. The classic Neapolitan filling includes buffalo ricotta, salami, or cooked ham, mozzarella and Parmigiano ReggianoIn Naples, the calzone can be either 'open' (with the filling visible, similar to a pizza) or 'closed' in the classic version. Each pizzeria has its own secret version.
Instructions
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3 steps · natural Italian voice
Prepare the dough and leavening
Pour the flour into a bowl, add the water at 18–22 °C (71.6°F) and mix roughly; let it rest for 20–30 minutes for autolysis. Dissolve the yeast in a little water, add the salt and knead for 8–12 minutes by hand or 6–8 minutes in a stand mixer until the gluten mesh is smooth. Proof Cover and rise at 18–22°C (71.6°F) for 8–12 hours until doubled in size; divide into 4, shape, and rise another 3–5 hours until soft and elastic.
Prepare the filling
Drain the ricotta in a sieve and pat dry until it becomes a thick cream; dry the mozzarella and dice it. Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and diced salami and Parmigiano Reggiano, season with salt and pepper and mix: the mixture It should remain moist but not watery. Taste to balance the flavor; if it is too liquid, add more. Parmigiano ReggianoKeep the filling cold until ready to use to limit leakage.
Shape, cook and serve
Roll out each dough ball on a floured surface until it forms a thin disk with a 2–3 cm (1.18 in) edge. Place the filling on one half of the disk, fold over, and seal by pressing and crimping; moisten the edges if necessary. Preheat a stone or stainless steel oven to 250–280°C (536°F) and bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown, bubbling, and crispy. Let rest for 5–10 minutes and serve with warm tomato sauce on the side.
Chef's Tips
The ricotta and mozzarella must be well drained: moisture will make the calzone soft. Seal the edges tightly: a poorly sealed calzone will burst open in the oven. The tomato sauce is served separately: pouring it on top after baking is the Neapolitan tradition.
Ingredients
- For the dough: (17.64 oz) 500 g strong flour, (10.99 fl oz) 325 ml water, (0.35 oz) 10 g salt, (0.11 oz) 3 g fresh yeast
- For the filling: (10.58 oz) 300 g fresh ricotta (well drained)
- (5.29 oz) 150 g of Neapolitan salami (or cooked ham) diced
- (7.05 oz) 200 g mozzarella fior di latte mozzarella diced (well drained)
- (1.76 oz) 50 g of Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- Salt, pepper
- Peeled tomatoes for the accompanying sauce
Can't find it in the US?
- fresh yeastUS equivalent
Active dry yeast: 40% of the fresh weight (25 g fresh = 10 g active dry)
Or: Instant yeast: one third of the fresh weight (25 g fresh = 8 g instant)
Dissolve active dry yeast in lukewarm liquid first; mix instant yeast straight into the flour.
- cooked hamMost US supermarkets
Plain deli ham, unsmoked and unglazed
Avoid honey-glazed or smoked ham.
- fior di latte mozzarellaMost US supermarkets
Fresh cow's milk mozzarella, well drained
Or: Low-moisture mozzarella for pizza and baked dishes
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.









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